Apple met with Thai officials earlier this week to discuss spyware warnings that were received by politicians and other users in the country. The talks followed Apple’s October 29 threat notifications, which reached users in 99 countries after the company said it identified activity consistent with mercenary spyware attacks.
Thai officials’ response
Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said the alerts alone do not establish that attackers gained access to the recipients’ devices. Authorities also reported no evidence connecting the attempted intrusions to Pegasus, the surveillance software developed by NSO Group.
Spyware warnings and Apple’s broader program
Apple has issued threat notifications since 2021, reaching users in more than 150 countries overall. The company says mercenary spyware operations devote substantial resources to targeting particular individuals, often because of their profession or public role. Apple describes its warnings as reflecting high confidence that a user has been targeted, while noting detection cannot provide absolute certainty.
Apple withholds technical details about how it identifies attacks to prevent operators from adapting their techniques, and its notifications do not attribute responsibility to particular attackers or regions. Recipients are advised to enable Lockdown Mode and obtain specialist help. Apple also says a genuine warning can be checked by signing in directly at account.apple.com.
Past investigations in Thailand
Thailand was previously the subject of a documented Pegasus campaign. A 2022 investigation by Citizen Lab, working with Thai organizations iLaw and DigitalReach, confirmed infections affecting at least 30 people between October 2020 and November 2021. Those affected included activists, academics, lawyers and others connected to the country’s pro-democracy movement. Apple’s warnings to Thai users in November 2021 helped prompt that investigation, with recipients contacting researchers for assistance.
