A rare iPhone crash linked to an iMessage image handling and sharing bug may have been the first sign of a targeted spyware attack, according to new forensic evidence — but Apple is skeptical.

Messages app on iPhone

Messages app on iPhone
A newly revealed iMessage bug in iOS, now patched, may have exposed some iPhone users to silent surveillance attempts. The flaw, discovered by the security firm iVerify, affected how iPhones processed nickname updates in the Messages app.
The security researchers say they found signs of possible exploitation on the devices of journalists, government officials, and tech executives. Apple, however, strongly denies that the bug was used maliciously.