Technology companies are continuing the practice of notifying users who are believed to be targets of sophisticated, government-backed spyware. Firms like Apple and Google send alerts to individuals, frequently journalists, activists, and dissidents, warning them that their devices and accounts may be compromised by powerful surveillance tools such as Pegasus and Graphite.
This notification strategy has become a crucial tool for potential victims, offering them a chance to take protective measures. The alerts underscore the ongoing battle between global tech firms and a growing commercial spyware industry that sells hacking tools to government agencies worldwide. The practice of sending explicit warnings about state-sponsored attacks was pioneered by Google and has been adopted by other major tech companies over the last several years.