Apple iPhones Hackable Even WITHOUT Victim Clicking a Link, Amnesty International Says Amid Pegasus Malware

Apple iPhones are still hackable even if the victim refrains from clicking any suspicious link, Amnesty International revealed in its study published on July 19 amid the Pegasus malware attack.

The latest revelation surfaced even as the Cupertino giant boasted that the iOS prioritizes security and privacy among its features.

Apple iPhones Hack and Amnesty International

The report published and conducted by Amnesty International showed that numerous journalists and even human rights lawyers were found to be victims of the Pegasus malware by the Niv, Shalev, and Omri (NSO) group, an Israeli surveillance company.

The attack paved the way to illegally access private messages, as well as the microphone and camera of smartphones of the victims.

Amnesty International further reported that the attackers were able to compromise the security of the iPhones in ways that are still unknown to the Cupertino company.

If you're getting paranoid with the latest malware flooding the headlines. Here's how to protect yourself from the Pegasus spyware attacks.

iPhones Hackable Even Without Link Clicking

In hindsight, hackers commonly lure their targets to click a link to infiltrate their devices. Although it is one of the methods that criminal minds usually use, other tactics have been going around nowadays.

Based on the latest pronouncements of Amnesty International, even iPhones are susceptible to these kinds of vulnerabilities.

The recent study of Amnesty International suggested that iPhone users can still be vulnerable to the Pegasus malware even as they stay away from phishing links found all around the internet.

iPhone Update Not Enough

Furthermore, Amnesty International found out in the same study that updating to the latest version of the iOS or the newest iPhone out there does not help bid hacks away from a user's personal information.

The study revealed that the hacking incident occurred in an iPhone 12, which runs the iOS 14.6. CNBC noted that it was the latest version of the smartphone software before the study was published.

It is worth noting that Apple has already rolled out an iOS 14.7 update.

However, the Cupertino giant did not detail any security notes for it, which could verify if it answers the revelation of Amnesty International.

What Apple Has to Say

Although there was no direct confirmation if Apple has already found out the exploits that the Amnesty Internation raised, the Cupertino giant said it "unequivocally condemns cyberattacks against journalists, human rights activists, and others seeking to make the world a better place."

Apple further ensured that the efforts that their company is doing, in terms of "security innovation," still get the nods of some researchers. Thus, claiming that the iPhone is still both the "safest" and "most secure," Ivan Kristic, the Head of Security Engineering and Architecture said.

It is not the first time that the security of iPhones has been compromised on a large scale. The XCode Ghost malware, which details were exposed last May 7, is still the biggest threat found.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris