iOS 26 Change Blocks Evidence, Makes Pegasus Spyware Almost Invisible

Apple's latest iOS 26 update has unintentionally made the detection of Pegasus, one of the most advanced spyware applications in the world, even more challenging. To achieve this, the Israel-based NSO Group, the owner of Pegasus, has made it possible for the infection to occur undetected, thereby giving the hacker complete control over the phone including access to messages, calls, photos, and passwords, as well as the microphone and camera of the device, without even the need for the user to be prompted by clicking on links or installing apps.

In earlier times, the cybersecurity detectives were banking on shutdown.log, a concealed system file, to keep track of abnormal phone activities including unexpected reboots and crashes. The entries in these logs were often the crucial pieces of proof when it came to Pegasus intrusions. The first thing that happens in iOS 26 when a reboot is performed is the automatic deletion or overwriting of the log file, which means that the forensic evidence of the infiltration has been wiped out. The specialists say that the aforementioned modification could cause the evidence of the spyware attack to disappear following each device reboot.

The change, according to the cybersecurity researchers and the human rights groups, consti-tutes a major barrier in tracing the attacks directed against the journalists, activists, and politicians. The company's update, although it seemed to be aimed at improving the system's overall performance and at the same time minimizing the storage that is not used, has actually reduced the capability of the tools that are being used by the outside world to prove that digital espionage is taking place.

Apple has not yet come out with any official comments on that exact change. The corporation has always been keen on user privacy and has even previously taken the legal route against NSO Group and has also warned users whenever spyware-threats are present. However, privacy advocates are of the opinion that by eliminating these vital logs, it would be difficult to hold the spyware manufacturers and the government agencies that carry out unauthorized surveillance accountable.

Pegasus has garnered worldwide interest due to its function of surveillance over certain people, such as journalists, opposition politicians, and even American diplomats stationed abroad. It is probably that ordinary smartphone users will not be targeted first, but the whole situation still points to a very insecure digital privacy condition around the globe.

Even though the iOS 26 upgrade might make devices operate and run more smoothly, its downside is that it has also brought about a greater challenge in the detection of spyware like Pegasus. Security professionals are calling on Apple to bring back the access to the important forensic data that is still very much needed for the protection of the weak. Until this happens, one of the most dangerous tools in the digital world has silenced its noise and tracking is going to be quite difficult.