Spyware continues to threaten fundamental human rights, contributing to forced disappearances, attacks and assassinations of journalists, and the targeting of activists. Despite the severe consequences for both individuals and our civic freedoms more broadly, accountability for such abuses remains extremely limited.

With the rollout of Apple’s iOS 26, researchers have spotted a significant change to the shutdown.log file, which has long been used to detect older versions of spyware infections like Pegasus and Predator. According to iVerify, this update effectively erases critical traces of past compromises, creating new challenges for both forensic investigators and individuals trying to determine if their devices have been compromised.

On 28 October 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre contacted Apple to provide more information regarding how they may be addressing this concern. Apple did not respond.