42
42
42
57
Large group of Serbian opposition, activist figures targeted with spyware
Researchers found at least 14 Serbian opposition figures and student protesters targeted with Pegasus and NoviSpy spyware around elections; 11 more phones under investigation.
The SHARE Foundation, with Citizen Lab confirmation and Amnesty International peer review, found at least 14 Serbian opposition and civil society figures targeted with advanced spyware since December, including a member of Parliament, a local politician and student protesters. Citizen Lab confirmed zero-click Pegasus on a student protester's iPhone between December 2025 and January 2026, while Amnesty confirmed a new detection-evading NoviSpy Android variant in at least two cases. Targeting coincided with March 2026 local elections; Serbia's BIA intelligence agency denied the claims, and 11 additional alerted phones remain under forensic investigation.
75
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
Pegasus Zero-Click Spyware Exploit Infects Serbian Student Movement Member's iPhone
Citizen Lab confirms Pegasus zero-click iMessage spyware infected a Serbian student activist's iPhone amid at least 14 spyware targets in Serbia during 2026.
The Citizen Lab, with the SHARE Foundation, confirmed an iMessage zero-click exploit infected a Serbian student protest movement member's iPhone with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, with high-confidence indicators from December 2025 to January 2026. The exploit was addressed by Apple in iOS 18.4.1, released April 2025. At least 14 people in Serbia, including students, activists, an MP, and a councilor, were targeted with advanced spyware since the start of 2026, coinciding with March 29, 2026 local elections; a new Android spyware similar to NoviSpy was also found on a confiscated device.
72
Threat Assessment: Ryuk Ransomware
Unit 42 assesses Ryuk ransomware amid a CISA/FBI/HHS alert on threats to U.S. healthcare, including the UHS attack that disrupted hospital operations.
A joint CISA, FBI, and HHS alert on October 28, 2020 warned of an imminent threat to U.S. healthcare from operators deploying Trickbot and Ryuk ransomware. Universal Health Services reported a Ryuk attack that disrupted all U.S. UHS sites for weeks, with similar incidents at hospitals in Oregon and New York. Ryuk typically arrives after Trickbot or BazaLoader infections delivered via malicious email, and operators enumerate networks with PowerShell and WMI before encryption. The Trickbot Anchor_DNS module performs DNS tunneling for C2, using connectivity checks to benign domains like ipinfo.io and checkip.amazonaws.com.
68
42
42
Pegasus, NoviSpy variant spyware found on devices of Serbian activists
Researchers confirmed the first 2026 Pegasus infection and a new NoviSpy variant on 14 Serbian activists, likely surveillance by Serbian authorities ahead of elections.
Citizen Lab confirmed with high probability the first forensically confirmed Pegasus infection of 2026, on a Serbian student activist hacked via a zero-click exploit between December of last year and January. Amnesty International confirmed two devices infected with a new NoviSpy variant, and the SHARE Foundation documented 14 targets including a member of parliament and a local government official, the largest documented spyware wave in Serbia to date. Evidence points to Serbian police or intelligence services, with NoviSpy infections occurring around police detention ahead of key local and parliamentary elections. Apple threat notifications preceded the findings, and updated iOS versions break the exploit chain.
68
Apple warned hundreds of users of mercenary spyware attacks
Apple sent threat notifications to users in 110 countries warning of targeted mercenary spyware attacks and recommending Lockdown Mode.
Apple sent a new round of threat notifications warning users in 110 countries they may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware, adding to alerts issued in more than 150 countries since the program began in 2021. The company says such attacks are vastly more sophisticated than criminal activity, cost millions of dollars, and typically target journalists, activists, politicians, diplomats, and lawyers. Apple recommends verifying notices directly at account.apple.com, enabling Lockdown Mode, keeping devices updated, and seeking expert help such as Access Now's Digital Security Helpline. Citizen Lab researchers note the alerts can reveal that entire communities are under targeted surveillance.
58
60
42
42
42
42
42
42
Pegasus and NoviSpy Used Against Serbian Protesters
Citizen Lab confirmed zero-click Pegasus infected a Serbian student activist's iPhone, part of the largest documented Serbian spyware wave targeting at least 14 people.
The Citizen Lab, with the SHARE Foundation, confirmed a Serbian student protest movement member's iPhone was infected with NSO Group's Pegasus via an iMessage zero-click exploit between December 2025 and January 2026; Apple patched the exploit in iOS 18.4.1. SHARE Foundation has documented at least 14 targeted individuals since early 2026, including student activists, civil society figures, an opposition MP and a local councilor, coinciding with the March 2026 local elections. SHARE and Amnesty Tech also found a new NoviSpy variant on a student activist's Android phone after Serbian authorities seized it during police questioning.
76
42
42
42
42
42
47
Apple Warns Users in 110 Countries They May Be Targets of Mercenary Spyware
Apple sent mercenary spyware threat notifications to users in 110 countries, including Ukrainian military members, in what researchers call an unprecedented notification wave.
Apple notified an unspecified number of users in 110 countries that they may have been targeted by mercenary spyware attacks, bringing total notifications to over 150 countries since the program began in late 2021. Apple does not attribute the attacks but describes the alerts as high-confidence indicators of individual targeting against journalists, activists, politicians, and diplomats. Citizen Lab's John Scott-Railton called the geographic scale unprecedented, and Access Now reported a record number of help requests, with recipients including members of Ukraine's military. Apple advised users to update devices, enable 2FA and Lockdown Mode, and use Stolen Device Protection.
68
42
42
42
42
42
42
42