The Pegasus spyware is a dangerous zero-day exploit that compromises best-in-class iPhones and exposes personal data even if the user does nothing. In other words, simply by receiving an infected iMessage, your device is compromised and the spyware has access to nearly all data on your phone.

Fortunately, however, there is an easy way to tell if you've been targeted. For just $1, an app called iVerify Basics allows you to scan your iPhone monthly for Pegasus spyware and analyze the results.

Since the app was released in May, iVerify has scanned approximately 2,500 devices and found seven infected devices. The company is also surprised to discover who has these infected iPhones.

NSO Group, a company that buys zero-day vulnerability information from hackers to create spyware, typically sells Pegasus to governments that target political opponents and journalists, but the victims iVerify detected were business leaders, people in government positions or commercial enterprises.

While Apple has detected that iPhones have been compromised by Pegasus and is attempting to alert owners about possible spyware infections, the iVerify Basics app allows smartphone owners to run a once-a-month on their devices It offers a free version of the subscription service. [It uses iVerify's signature-based malware detection, machine learning, and heuristics to look for anomalies in a mobile device's operating system that show signs of spyware or malware infection.

The iVerify Basics app is easy to use, and after downloading the app, users are presented with an introductory screen that explains that it “provides insights backed by high-end security research, along with knowledge of the latest attacker techniques, to help keep you safe.”

From there, tapping “Continue” takes you to the Ready to Scan: screen, which offers options for protective measures or threat hunting. The Protective Measures option offers SMS phishing scanning and continuous monitoring, while Threat Hunting includes monthly scans for threats like Pegasus. I ran the new Forensic Scan and it took about 10 minutes. Thankfully, I did not have to leave the app open or the phone on while it was running.

Once the scan was complete, I was told that my device was secure and no threats were detected. They showed me how to submit the scan results to iVerify for analysis, and I gave them my email address so that they could contact me if they found anything suspicious or concerning in the results.

The entire process was easy, fast and reassuring. iVerify also has buttons at the bottom of the app for guides (protect against theft, protect your wireless data), online (use a password manager or use security software that details how to further protect your account by using two-step verification), security news available, which adds an extra layer of security.

Due to Apple's own malware scanning limitations, there is no iPhone equivalent to the best Android antivirus app. However, some of the best Mac antivirus software from Intego allows you to scan iPhones and iPads for malware, but the devices must be connected to the Mac via USB. But the iVerify Basics app, which costs just $1, is an easy-to-use and much cheaper alternative.

Even if you are not a high-profile target, it may be worth downloading this app just for the peace of mind you get after a successful scan with no threats found.