Apple issues an emergency security update

On Monday Apple released an emergency security update after it was discovered that an Israeli cyber surveillance company's spyware Pegasus could infect iPhones and other devices without the owner even clicking on a link.

Picture credit: Apple Insider

Apple's security team has worked around the clock to fix and release the update till Tuesday.   

The security flaw was discovered by researchers at watchdog group Citizen Lab, which found that the phone of a Saudi political activist had been infected with the Pegasus spyware via iMessage.

An Apple spokesperson told the New York Times that it is planning to add new spyware barriers to its next software update, due out later this year.

Why does it matter you ask?: The fix to the intrusion by the NSO Group's Pegasus software came the day before Apple is expected to introduce its latest crop of iPhones. The company touts the security and privacy of its smartphones among its key selling points.

The same security flaw would enable the software to infect other Apple iPhones, watches and MacBooks, per the Post.

 "After identifying the vulnerability used by this exploit for iMessage, Apple rapidly developed and deployed a fix in iOS 14.8 to protect our users," said Ivan Krstić, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture, said in a statement.

"While that means they are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data." he added

The NSO Group's Pegasus software made news earlier this summer after an international consortium of investigative journalists revealed it had become a valuable tool for governments to spy on journalists and critics.