The individual known by the pseudonym Jay Gibson, a spyware developer, recently disclosed to the tech-centric website TechCrunch that he had become the target of state-sponsored spyware. His first inkling of the ordeal came via a notification from Apple, alerting him that his phone had been subjected to a targeted, commercial spyware assault. Gibson's past includes a stint at the cybersecurity firm Trenchant, where he was tasked with crafting iOS zero-day exploits. His tenure there was cut short following accusations of leaking proprietary tools, leading to his dismissal. Upon receiving Apple's alert, Gibson swiftly replaced his phone and enlisted the help of forensic specialists to scrutinize the device. Despite their efforts, no traces of infection were detected. The experts advised a more thorough forensic examination, but Gibson declined to hand over a backup of his device for analysis. The attack is believed to be linked to Gibson's departure from Trenchant, as he harbors suspicions that he was framed as the fall guy for the internal tool leak.

Apple's practice of issuing such notifications is reserved for instances where it has verified that a user has indeed been targeted by spyware. These sophisticated attacks typically leverage high-value vulnerabilities to remotely infiltrate devices. The process of developing such vulnerabilities is both time-intensive and costly, underscoring the gravity of the situation.