Thai opposition leaders say Apple warned their phones were targeted

Two Thai opposition leaders say Apple software warned that someone tried to attack their phones. They are now demanding that the government say whether state agencies used spyware to target political leaders.

What we know

Spyware is software that secretly gets onto a phone. It can read messages and track where you are. The alerts came days before a no-confidence debate set for December. A no-confidence debate is a formal challenge to a government's leadership, so the timing has raised questions.

Much is still unknown. It is not clear who was behind the attempts or whether any of them worked. It is also not clear whether any state agency was involved. The material available does not include a response from the government.

What to do

Most people will never be a target like these leaders. Still, a warning from your phone is worth taking seriously, because spyware can see private messages and follow your movements. Keeping your phone updated helps protect you.