Members of Germany’s federal government and the Bundestag have received official notifications from Apple warning that their iPhones may have been targeted by sophisticated spyware. Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger confirmed the development during an appearance on ARD’s Bericht aus Berlin, stating that Apple had notified users that their devices could have been compromised.
According to a letter from the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) reviewed by Wildberger, these alerts began appearing on affected devices on 29 October. The warnings specifically indicate that Apple detected an attack involving what it terms "mercenary spyware." While the minister noted that the BSI responded "super quickly" to provide guidance to those affected, he did not specify the number of politicians targeted or identify them by name.
The BSI has advised all recipients of the alerts to operate under the assumption that their devices may have been compromised as a precautionary measure, noting that the notifications themselves do not confirm whether an attempted attack was successful. Apple typically sends such threat notifications when it believes a user has been individually targeted by tools it describes as significantly more sophisticated than standard cybercriminal activity. The company maintains that such spyware is difficult to detect and prevent, though it stresses that the vast majority of users remain unthreatened.
These security warnings are delivered via email, as well as through settings and the lock screen of the iPhone. The BSI warns that this type of spyware can grant unauthorized parties access to sensitive information, including encrypted messages, call logs, contacts, calendars, and location data. Furthermore, the software has the capability to remotely activate a device’s microphone and camera. At this stage, neither Apple nor German authorities have disclosed who might be responsible for the targeted attacks.
