Zero-Day Attack Alert: An unknown zero-day bug had silently exposed millions of Apple and Google devices. Suspicions of government hackers, spyware links and sudden emergency updates – had your phone already become a target?
New Delhi. If you use an iPhone, Android phone, Mac, iPad or Google Chrome, this news may surprise you. Apple and Google have simultaneously issued an emergency security update and made it clear that the matter is not a normal one, but is related to a high-level hacking attack. The question is, what happened that the world’s two largest tech companies had to issue an alert simultaneously?
What is Zero-Day Attack and why is it most dangerous?
The crux of this whole issue is a zero-day vulnerability. That is, a bug about which the company does not know until hackers start using it. Google acknowledged that a flaw in the Chrome browser had already been exploited before the patch was released. This is the reason why it is considered very dangerous, because such attacks happen silently and the user does not even have a clue.
Were government hackers behind this?
This question is arising because this bug was identified jointly by Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG) and Apple’s security team. TAG generally keeps an eye on government-backed cyber groups and spyware companies. Due to this, it is being suspected that this attack may not be of any common cyber criminal, but may be related to government surveillance or professional spyware network.
For which devices did Apple release the update?
Apple has released urgent updates for almost all of its major products, including:
- iPhone
- ipad
- Mac
- Apple Watch
- VisionPro
- Apple TV
- Safari Browser
Apple has acknowledged that certain users running versions prior to iOS 26 may have been targeted.
Were ordinary users also at risk?
Although the attacks are said to be “targeted”, cyber experts believe that such zero-day bugs can spread on a large scale in the future. Spyware tools like NSO Group have been used in the past against journalists, activists and lawyers. That is, there is no guarantee that the danger will remain limited to a limited number of people.
Why did Apple and Google release the update together?
The release of emergency updates by both the companies at the same time is an indication that the matter was very serious. Zero-day bugs are rare and extremely expensive, so they are often used in high-profile espionage operations.
What should users do now?
- If you want to stay safe, update your iPhone, Android, Mac and iPad immediately.
- Install the latest versions of Chrome and Safari browsers.
- Don’t make the mistake of postponing any update.
Finally the big question…
Was your phone already targeted and you didn’t even realize it? This is why Apple and Google are repeatedly saying – update now, not later.