Devices made by Apple, such as the new iPhone 11, are being bombarded by cyberattacks more frequently than ever before, new research has found.
A report from Kaspersky has discovered that iOS devices and Mac computers are becoming increasingly common targets for hackers trying to steal personal details from users.
The company found that phishing attacks targeting Apple products has hit a new high this year, with around 1.6 million campaigns currently trying to target iOS and Mac devices.
- Flashlight apps could be your phone's biggest security risk
- Best iPhone antivirus app of 2019
- Over a billion Android phones vulnerable to phishing attack
Targeted
Phishing attacks look to trick victims into handing over personal details or login information to cybercriminals pretending to be someone else - in this case, spoofing official correspondence from Apple itself.
Kaspersky's report found a nine percent rise in the number of phishing attacks targeting Mac and iOS devices detected in the first half of 2019 compared to the entire previous year.
The most common scams target users with a fake page resembling the iCloud service interface, often pretending to come from Apple technical support. The page often tricks users into entering their Apple ID login credentials, with the emails threatening to block out user accounts if they don't click the link.
Others look to scare the users into believing their Mac computer is under threat of serious security attack, which can be fixed with a couple of clicks and a few dollars.
“While technically these fraud schemes are nothing new, we believe they pose an even greater danger to Apple users than similar schemes against users of other platforms – such as Windows or Android," said Tatyana Sidorina, security researcher at Kaspersky.
"That is because the ecosystem around Macs and other Apple devices is generally considered a far safer environment. Therefore users might be less cautious when they encounter fake websites. Meanwhile the successful theft of iCloud account credentials could lead to serious consequences – an iPhone or iPad could be remotely blocked or wiped by a malicious user, for example."
"We urge users of Apple devices to pay more attention to any emails they receive claiming to be from technical support, which request your details or ask you to visit a link."
For any Apple users looking to stay protected, Kaspersky recommends that users keep all their devices up to date with the latest software, which should only be downloaded from official outlets and the Mac App Store.
- Best antivirus software of 2019
