BSI warns German lawmakers and ministers of possible spyware on iPhones

Warning to lawmakers and ministers

The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has warned members of the Bundestag and members of the federal government that their phones may be targeted by spyware, according to information the ARD Berlin studio obtained. The warning concerns a threat notification from Apple for iPhones. Digital minister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) confirmed the warning in the ARD programme Bericht aus Berlin, but gave no concrete details. Which politicians may be affected is not publicly known. Wildberger described the Apple message in these words:

“There is a notification from Apple that certain devices may have been compromised with so-called spyware.”

Apple's notice and the BSI letter

According to a BSI letter that the ARD Berlin studio has seen, iPhones have received a threat notification from Apple since 29 October. The notice said an attack using so-called Mercenary Spyware had been detected and that the attack aimed to compromise the iPhone. The BSI wrote that it has no further information about the specific cause or background of the notifications. Apple describes its threat notifications as very reliable warnings that a person has been deliberately targeted, but the notice does not say whether the attack succeeded. Apple does not normally disclose what triggered a notification and does not attribute attacks to particular attackers.

Minister's response

Wildberger said the BSI had reacted very quickly and had written to everyone affected about what to do in such a case, but he did not say what the response involved. He said the nature of the attack was still open and that the matter had to be waited out before more was known. He did not link the case to an AI-driven attack, noting that spyware on phones has existed for some time, but said the government was nonetheless concerned. He gave no further details on the case.

“At this point it is pure speculation what exactly this involves, we have to wait and see.”

How spyware works

Spyware is malicious software installed on computers or smartphones without the user's knowledge or consent to collect data and pass it to third parties. The reports list keystrokes, messages, photos, location data, calls and microphone recordings as possible targets. According to the BSI, attackers could reach messages including encrypted messengers, calls, contacts, calendar entries and location, and could switch on the microphone and camera. Such programs usually arrive through manipulated email attachments, fake links or apps from unreliable sources, and sometimes exploit security gaps in outdated software. Criminals, stalkers and states all use spyware, according to the reports, and victims of mercenary spyware are often politicians, government members or diplomats.

What remains unknown

It is not known whether the attack on the affected phones succeeded or whether any data was stolen. The BSI nonetheless advised recipients to assume, as a precaution, that their device may be compromised. The BSI letter, as reported, gave no information on the cause of the notifications, and the names of the affected lawmakers and ministers have not been made public.