How to Tell If That Apple 'Threat Notification' Is Legit

Threat actors are always finding ways to make their attacks seem more believable—often by using urgent security matters that push victims to act quickly—so you should always be skeptical of messages and notifications warning you that your device or account has been compromised. That said, if you receive a spyware warning from Apple via push notification, it's likely real, and you shouldn't ignore it. Apple's threat notification system is designed to alert individuals who have been targeted by mercenary spyware, such as Pegasus, which can silently infect devices and track everything a user does. Since 2021, the company has sent these alerts multiple times a year. In the vast majority of cases, those affected are in high-profile positions—such as politicians, journalists, and activists—that are at a high risk of being targeted. That means the average user is unlikely to ever receive one of these notifications, so it's important to understand how they work and be able to identify what's legitimate and what's not. Verify Apple threat notifications before taking action According to Apple's support document , threat notifications are now being distributed via push notifications to affected users' iPhones. These alerts will appear on the Lock Screen and in Settings. Users will also receive an email alert to the address linked to their Apple Account sent from [threat-notifications@email.apple.com]. (Previously, Apple sent alerts via email and Messages.) Lock S…