A new wave of targeted digital attacks has led Apple to issue a high-priority recommendation for all iPhone owners: restart the device on a regular basis. The measure is a direct response to mercenary spyware campaigns that exploit security flaws in outdated operating systems, posing a significant threat to data privacy. Especialistas in digital security and the company itself highlight that this simple action, although not a definitive solution, works as an essential and immediate layer of defense, capable of interrupting the activity of malicious software that operates in the device’s volatile memory. The guidance is particularly critical for users who, for some reason, have not yet installed the latest security updates made available by the company.
The urgency of the recommendation is reinforced by global cybersecurity agencies, which validate the practice as a form of fundamental “digital hygiene” in the current threat landscape. Esses attacks are classified as “zero-click”, meaning they can infect a device without any interaction on the part of the victim, such as clicking a link or downloading an attachment.
Simply restarting the device forces the termination of all running processes, eliminating temporary malicious codes before they can permanently install themselves on the system or extract large volumes of information. For complete protection, users must follow three fundamental steps:
* Realizar immediate restart of the iPhone.
* Verificar and install the latest available system update.
* Ativar or Modo of Bloqueio, if high-risk targets are considered.
What are mercenary spyware attacks
Mercenary spyware represents a highly complex cyber threat category. Desenvolvidos by specialized private companies, these surveillance software are marketed to government entities for the purpose of monitoring specific individuals.
Unlike common malware, which aims to reach as many victims as possible, these attacks are surgical and aimed at high-value targets, such as journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents and executives. The cost of a single infection can reach millions of dollars, reflecting its sophistication.
Why Hard Reset Protects Your Device
Restarting your iPhone is an effective defense tactic because it completely clears the device’s random access memory (RAM). Muitos spyware components are designed to reside in this volatile memory, which is erased when the device is turned off.
By interrupting the power, all active processes are terminated, including malicious ones. Isso breaks the attack chain, forcing the spyware to try to reinstall itself, which increases the chances of detection and increases the operational cost for attackers.
While rebooting does not eliminate persistent infections that write to main storage, it serves as an important disruptive barrier. The action makes it difficult for the malware to continuously communicate with its command and control servers, frustrating real-time data collection.
How to perform the restart correctly
To ensure the effectiveness of the procedure, Apple and security experts recommend using the device’s physical buttons. The use of software menus should be avoided, as advanced malware could theoretically simulate the shutdown interface without actually terminating its activities.
The standard method for most recent models involves simultaneously pressing and holding the side button and one of the volume buttons. Após a few seconds, the power off slider will appear on the screen. You need to wait around 30 seconds for the device to turn off completely before turning it on again.
If the screen is not responding, you can use a forced restart. Para To do this, the user must quickly press and release the volume up button, do the same with the volume down button and then keep the side button pressed.
The device must be kept pressed until the Apple logo appears on the screen, signaling that the process has started successfully. Ambos methods are safe and do not result in loss of personal data or settings stored on the device.
Update to iOS 26 as a permanent solution
While rebooting is an important countermeasure, the most robust and long-lasting defense against these threats is to keep your iPhone’s operating system up to date. Apple emphasizes that installing the latest version of the system, iOS 26, is essential, as it contains specific corrections, known as “patches”, which close the security holes actively exploited by this spyware. The update is available for devices starting with iPhone 11 and later models, and its installation should be treated as a top priority by users to ensure the integrity of their data and communications.
For owners of older models that are not compatible with iOS 26, the company has not left users unprotected. Foi released a specific security update, iOS 18.7.3, which also addresses and fixes the same critical vulnerabilities. It is essential that each user checks the compatibility of their device and applies the corresponding software version. The practice of postponing updates creates a dangerous window of risk, as security flaws in older versions become public knowledge, making the work of cybercriminals easier.
Recommendations from international agencies
Apple’s guidance is not isolated and is supported by several world-renowned cybersecurity agencies, which have for years promoted the periodic reboot of mobile devices as a good security practice. Agência of Segurança Nacional (NSA) of Estados Unidos, for example, recommends in its best practices guides that both government employees and the general public restart their smartphones at least once a week. Segundo the agency, this simple but effective action can interrupt a malware’s “attack chain”, making it difficult for the malicious software to exfiltrate data and communicate with its remote operators. ANSSI, França’s information security agency, shares the same vision and adds a crucial detail: the shutdown must be carried out using physical buttons to ensure that the operating system is actually shut down, preventing sophisticated malware from simulating a false restart to trick the user and maintain its persistence in the system.
Additional protective measures
For users who, due to their profession or activity, may be considered high-risk targets, such as journalists, politicians or activists, Apple has developed an extra layer of security known as “Mode Lockdown” (Bloqueio Mode). Essa functionality drastically restricts the iPhone’s capabilities to minimize the attack surface available to attackers.
Global impact of current threats
The proliferation of mercenary spyware, such as the well-known case of Pegasus, developed by NSO Group, highlights a growing trend in the sophistication of digital surveillance tools. Desde 2021, Apple has already issued threat notifications to users in more than 150 countries, a clear indication of the global reach of these state-sponsored operations. Vulnerabilidades patched at the end of 2025 continues to be exploited against devices that remain outdated, showing the importance of keeping systems up to date.
