Israeli spying targets millions of Egyptian smartphones

Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has issued an urgent warning about advanced hacking attempts targeting smartphone users in more than 150 countries, including Egypt.

A statement from NTRA’s National Computer Emergency Readiness Team said early reports show these attacks exploit previously unknown security flaws and involve malicious links and messages that may appear to come from trusted sources.

The authority urged users to take phone security seriously, noting that regularly updating devices and apps is the first line of defence against hacking. Each update includes fixes for vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit, so NTRA recommended turning on automatic updates whenever possible.

Users were also advised to activate advanced security settings on their devices, such as Lockdown Mode on iPhones and enhanced protection options on Android phones. These settings help strengthen security and reduce the risk of spyware attacks.

NTRA stressed the need for caution when handling links, messages, and attachments, especially those from unknown or unusual sources. Even messages that appear to come from well-known companies could be harmful, as many attacks rely on tricking users into clicking dangerous links.

The warning comes after Google and Apple alerted users in over 150 countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, about advanced spyware threats from the Israeli firm Intellexa, according to RT Arabic.

READ: Reports: US pressures Israel to approve $35 bn gas deal with Egypt