Spyware found on Americans’ phones More angles of Israeli developer

The discovery is painful for Israel, where NSO Group, the company behind the program, is headquartered. earlier this year, Uncover a coalition of media Secret services from around the world are using the advanced Pegasus spyware to spy on journalists, opposition members, activists, and more. The use of Pegasus also against the employees of the US government, an important ally of Israel, is very painful for the government in Jerusalem.

The software is said to have been found on iPhones owned by US officials who were working in Uganda or dealing with this East African country. They’ve been warned by Apple, the phone maker. It is not known who carried out the hack. The long list of potential targets of the Pegasus hack revealed earlier this year already included some US officials. It was not clear if they had actually been hacked.

Terrorists and criminals

writes NSO Group, which claims that its spyware is only intended for terrorists and dangerous criminals Permit To initiate an investigation and agree to cooperate with government investigations. The company says it has no indication of misuse of its products. To be on the safe side, it has temporarily cut its services from all customers potentially involved in the case.

The US government recently announced the NSO Group, just like Israel’s Candiru handelsbeperkingen Imposed due to misuse of spyware. Apple announced a lawsuit against the NSO Group last month, and Meta (formerly Facebook) has done the same before.

White House spokesman Jen Psaki Friday said You will not be able to clarify the topic during a press conference. Overall, he stated that commercial spyware from companies like NSO “pose a serious security risk to US government employees”.

Pegasus can infect phones without users even realizing it. Then the intelligence service can watch and listen to almost everything that happens with the phone, from phone conversations to the location. Spyware has been used, among other things, against embarrassment Moroccan journalist Omar Radi, who was recently sentenced to 6 years in prison in Morocco for spying for the Netherlands.