New Delhi: Google and Apple have released emergency security updates after identifying that hackers were actively exploiting previously unknown vulnerabilities in their software.
Google confirmed that it patched several security flaws in its Chrome browser, including one vulnerability that attackers had already exploited in the wild before a fix was available. The company later updated its advisory to state that the issue was discovered jointly by Apple’s security engineering team and Google’s Threat Analysis Group. The latter typically investigates threats linked to government-backed hacking groups and commercial spyware vendors, indicating that the campaign may have been targeted rather than indiscriminate.
At the same time, Apple rolled out security updates across its ecosystem, covering iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, Apple TV, Vision Pro, and the Safari browser. In its advisory for iPhones and iPads, Apple said it addressed two security flaws and acknowledged that at least one of them may have been exploited in “an extremely sophisticated attack” against specific users running versions of iOS prior to iOS 26.
Apple’s wording is commonly used when the company believes that attackers have leveraged zero-day vulnerabilities, flaws unknown to developers at the time of exploitation. Such attacks are often associated with surveillance tools used to monitor journalists, activists, and other high-risk individuals.
Both companies have urged users to update their devices immediately to reduce exposure, underscoring the growing risks posed by advanced, targeted cyber-espionage campaigns.
