Complete History of Apple Hacks
A comprehensive timeline of security breaches, exploits, and vulnerabilities affecting Apple devices from 2007 to 2025
Pegasus Spyware: The Most Dangerous Threat
Pegasus is the most sophisticated spyware ever discovered, developed by Israeli company NSO Group. It can infect iPhones without any user interaction (zero-click exploit) and grants complete access to your device.
What Pegasus Can Do:
- Read all messages, emails, and encrypted communications (WhatsApp, Signal, etc.)
- Access all photos, videos, and files
- Record phone calls and activate microphone/camera remotely
- Track real-time location and monitor all activity
- Extract passwords, contacts, and calendar data
- Install without any user action (zero-click infection)
August 2025: CVE-2025-43300 Zero-Day
Apple released emergency security updates for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to address an actively exploited zero-day vulnerability. This out-of-bounds write flaw was used in targeted attacks before Apple became aware of it.
Impact:
- All iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices affected
- Actively exploited in targeted attacks
- Required immediate emergency patching
June 2025: Massive Data Breach - 16 Billion Logins
Security researchers discovered one of the largest data breaches in history, exposing 16 billion login credentials including Apple account logins with plain text passwords.
Impact:
- 16 billion credentials exposed
- Apple accounts with plain text passwords included
- Epic scale of breach unprecedented
January 2025: Banshee macOS Stealer
Critical warning issued to 100 million Apple users about sophisticated malware designed to steal browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, passwords, and personal files while evading detection.
Capabilities:
- Steals browser credentials and saved passwords
- Targets cryptocurrency wallets
- Extracts personal files and documents
- Blends seamlessly with normal system processes
- 100+ million users potentially affected
July 2023: Zero-Day Vulnerability Patched
Apple released Rapid Security Response updates acknowledging a zero-day vulnerability that may have been actively exploited by hackers before patches were available.
2021: The Pegasus Project Revelations
Investigation revealed that NSO Group's Pegasus spyware was used to target over 50,000 phone numbers, including journalists, activists, politicians, and business executives worldwide.
Victims Included:
- 180+ journalists from major news organizations
- Human rights activists and lawyers
- Government officials and heads of state
- Business executives
- 14 world leaders confirmed targeted
July-August 2020: KISMET Zero-Click Exploit
Government operatives used NSO Group's Pegasus spyware to hack 36 phones belonging to Al Jazeera journalists using an invisible zero-click exploit through iMessage. No user interaction required.
Technical Details:
- Zero-click iMessage exploit (KISMET)
- No user interaction required for infection
- Targeted 36 Al Jazeera staff members
- Complete device compromise achieved
2016: Pegasus Spyware First Discovered
Pegasus spyware was first discovered and publicly documented. Researchers found it was being used to target human rights activists and dissidents, exploiting three zero-day vulnerabilities in iOS.
Initial Discovery:
- First documentation of NSO Group's Pegasus
- Used three iOS zero-day vulnerabilities
- Targeted activists and dissidents
- Marked beginning of commercial spyware era
August-September 2014: Celebrity Photo Leak ("The Fappening")
Hackers used shockingly simple phishing techniques to steal private photos from celebrity iCloud accounts. Despite the sophisticated reputation of hacking, this breach was accomplished through basic social engineering.
Attack Method:
- Simple phishing emails targeting celebrities
- Fake Apple security alerts
- Victims tricked into providing iCloud passwords
- Hundreds of private photos stolen and leaked
- Demonstrated vulnerability of cloud storage
2007-2015: The Jailbreak Era
From the first iPhone release, security researchers and hackers discovered numerous exploits to "jailbreak" devices, gaining root access and bypassing Apple's restrictions.
Notable Exploits:
- 2007: First iPhone jailbreak by George Hotz
- Pwnage/Pwnage 2.0: Exploits affecting iPhone, iPod touch, iPhone 3G
- limera1n: Bootrom exploit by geohot affecting multiple devices
- evasi0n: iOS 6.x jailbreak used by millions
- Pangu: Series of jailbreaks for iOS 7-9
- Hundreds of bootrom, kernel, and userland exploits discovered
- Demonstrated fundamental security flaws in iOS architecture
How GrapheneOS Protects You
GrapheneOS provides comprehensive protection against these exploit techniques through:
- Memory corruption hardening: Prevents exploits like CVE-2025-43300 and jailbreak vulnerabilities
- Zero-click exploit protection: Enhanced sandboxing blocks attacks like KISMET and Pegasus
- Verified boot: Prevents persistent spyware installation
- Enhanced MAC: Limits damage even if malware gets in
- No cloud dependency: Your data never touches vulnerable cloud services
- Hardened WebView: Protects against phishing and malicious websites
- Regular security updates: Patches vulnerabilities faster than iOS
- Open source transparency: No hidden backdoors or surveillance
⚠️ Critical Fact:
Even the latest iPhone running iOS 18 can be compromised by Pegasus and similar spyware. GrapheneOS on Google Pixel is currently the only mobile platform that provides effective protection against these sophisticated attacks.