Apple’s latest iOS 26 update promises stronger privacy, tighter encryption, and a cleaner security framework. But behind the scenes, the update is also changing something investigators have quietly relied on for years — the digital clues used to detect Pegasus spyware.
For years, cybersecurity experts have analyzed hidden diagnostic logs inside iPhones to trace whether a device had been targeted or infected by NSO Group’s Pegasus, one of the world’s most sophisticated surveillance tools. But after the iOS 26 rollout, those same logs appear to have either vanished or been heavily restricted — making it almost impossible to tell when an iPhone has been compromised.
Investigators say this change could make future spyware detection far more difficult. “It’s like turning off the lights in a crime scene,” one digital forensics researcher told The Washington Post. “You can still enter the room, but you can’t see what happened.”
Pegasus is notorious for its stealth. It can infiltrate iPhones without the user ever clicking a link, silently activating cameras, recording calls, and harvesting messages. Its traces are minimal — and until now, Apple’s internal logging system was the only reliable way to confirm infections.
Apple has not officially addressed the change, and some researchers believe the company’s intent is to protect sensitive system data from misuse. Still, the update raises a tricky question: how do you protect users’ privacy while also allowing independent experts to investigate digital threats?
The tension isn’t new for Apple. The company has long walked a fine line between privacy and transparency, shutting down attack vectors while limiting external access to its ecosystem. With iOS 26, it may have unintentionally made the battle against spyware even harder — even as it tightens the walls of its digital fortress.
For investigators, the message is clear: the hunt for Pegasus just got tougher. For Apple, it’s another chapter in its ongoing effort to prove that ultimate privacy sometimes comes with hidden costs.