Apple sent alerts warning iPhone users of spyware: What it looks like, what you should do

Wake up to a message saying your iPhone may be a target for mercenary hackers? It may not have been as noisily in your face as other emergency alerts, but you still need to take it seriously.

The direct-to-device threat notification, which appears as a banner on your iPhone's lock screen and atop the home screen, is a recent expansion of Apple's existing threat detection features , designed to alert users of mercenary spyware attacks.

The banner only appears on a device if Apple detects activity "consistent with a mercenary spyware attack," the company explains.

SEE ALSO: White House signing deals with private hackers to combat cybercrime It reads: "Apple detected a mercenary spyware attack targeted at your iPhone.

There are actions you can take now to protect your data and device." What does the spyware alert mean? Mercenary spyware attacks are highly resourced, individualized attempts to penetrate devices in order to install surveillance programs.

Often associated with state-sanctioned espionage and enabled by private tech companies, these attacks typically target individuals with political affiliations, including journalists, activists, politicians, and diplomats.

Apple uses internal threat intelligence technology to detect activity associated with the intrusions.

If you get an alert, it doesn't necessarily mean spyware has successfully been installed on your device, but it does mean Apple has "high-confidence" you are a target.

And that means you need to act fast to protect your information.

In a statement to TechCrunch , Apple confirmed it sent threat notifications to users in more than 110 countries late Thursday (Aug.

13) and more than 150 countries to date.

How can I verify the alert is real? Apple's threat notifications will never include clickable links or ask users to open attachments, log into accounts, or install apps.

If your alert includes any of these, it is fake.

In addition to on-screen alerts, iPhone users will receive a threat detection notification in their device's account settings, which appears under their Apple Account information.