The Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli commercial surveillance firm NSO Group, remains one of the most formidable threats to the iOS ecosystem. This sophisticated spyware frequently exploits undisclosed vulnerabilities, enabling infection without any user interaction.
Apple is often unaware of the specific vulnerabilities leveraged by NSO Group, making timely patches challenging. However, Apple has embedded code within iOS to detect potential spyware infections on iPhones.
When Apple suspects that an iPhone has been compromised, it proactively notifies users. For instance, during the summer of 2024 alone, Apple issued warnings to users across 98 countries, alerting them that they may have been targeted by mercenary spyware attacks.
An iPhone infected with Pegasus is virtually devoid of privacy. The spyware grants attackers remote access to all stored data, enables eavesdropping via the microphone and camera, and tracks the device’s location in real time.
However, a report by mobile security firm iVerify underscores that relying solely on Apple’s detection mechanisms is insufficient, as Apple’s detection rate is estimated to be only around 50%. This implies that at least half of the compromised devices remain undetected by Apple.
To address this gap, iVerify launched an affordable security solution last year—a $1 application named iVerify Basic, which allows users to conduct a comprehensive spyware scan once per month. The app performs an in-depth analysis of iOS memory and system logs to identify traces of infection. By aggregating data from user-initiated scans, iVerify can also estimate the prevalence of Pegasus infections.
Following media coverage, an additional 18,000 users downloaded iVerify to perform security checks. In December 2024 alone, iVerify uncovered 11 new Pegasus infection cases.
As more users participated in spyware detection, the infection rate observed by iVerify declined to 1.5 cases per 1,000 scans—an expected outcome, given that commercial spyware typically targets high-value individuals rather than the general public.
A deeper analysis of detected infections reaffirmed that Apple’s internal detection mechanisms identify only about 50% of infected devices, leaving the remaining half unnoticed.
iVerify exercises extreme caution in handling infection data, recording only cases that have been definitively confirmed as infections.
Related Posts:
- iVerify Unveils Disturbing Prevalence of Pegasus Spyware on Mobile Devices
- EU justice officials were targeted by Pegasus spyware
- ProtonMail Leverages Blockchain Technology for Enhanced User Privacy
- Pegasus Spyware: Court Finds NSO Group Liable for 1,400 Infections
