The key facts

  • Since October 29, Apple has been sending notifications about an attack using 'Mercenary'-class spyware
  • Devices of Bundestag members and government officials are affected
  • The BSI has no data on the causes and source of the attacks; the attack's success has not been confirmed

Apple spyware notifications

Germany's Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger said on Sunday that hackers had attacked the devices of members of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, and government officials. According to him, this concerns notifications from Apple stating that some devices may have been compromised by so-called spyware. Wildberger made this statement on public broadcaster ARD, noting that the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) reacted quickly and notified all affected individuals in writing.

What is known about the attack

According to a letter reported by ARD, since October 29 iPhone users have been receiving threat notifications from Apple pointing to an attack using spyware of the 'Mercenary' class. The agency itself stated that 'at this point we have no additional information about the specific cause or background of these notifications.' Apple describes its threat notifications as highly reliable warnings that a person has been specifically targeted, but they do not indicate whether the attack was successful. The BSI advised those affected to 'assume as a precautionary measure that the device may have been compromised.' Wildberger did not disclose details but expressed concern over the reports.

Why spyware is dangerous

Spyware refers to programs that covertly collect or monitor a user's data and activities without their knowledge or consent, often passing this information to third parties. It can be installed unnoticed, including through software vulnerabilities or deceptive installation methods. According to the BSI, with such tools attackers can gain access to correspondence — including messages in encrypted messengers — calls, contacts, calendar and location data, as well as activate the device's microphone and camera.