Technology giant Apple warned 11 US diplomats that their phones were hacked by Pegasus in recent months, according to the news of the Washington Post, which is based on sources close to the subject.
Apple noted that the diplomats in question were working in Uganda and other East African countries, and that they began warning them since last month.
In a written statement from the US National Security Council, reminding that some companies, including NSO, were blacklisted last month, “We were concerned that some commercial spy applications, such as those of the NSO Group, pose a serious counterintelligence and security threat to US personnel. Biden administration’s This is one of the reasons why it has blacklisted some companies that develop such tools.” statement was included.
PEGASUS Spyware
In the research conducted by 17 media organizations and in collaboration with Amnesty International and the international journalists consortium Forbidden Stories, it was claimed that the spyware Pegasus, belonging to the Israel-based NSO Group, was used for widespread and malicious purposes globally.
It was argued that the governments of at least 10 countries from Africa to Europe were customers of NSO Group, and that the spyware was sold to governments to target activists, journalists, lawyers and politicians.
Allegedly, more than 50 thousand phone numbers around the world were tracked by this spyware.
NSO Group, on the other hand, denies all accusations, claiming it “provides technology services to countries or law enforcement agencies to help them fight terrorism and serious crime.”
Social network WhatsApp also filed a lawsuit against NSO Group, alleging that the company used its messaging service for extensive espionage, tracking more than 1,400 people, including 100 journalists and human rights activists, in 20 countries.
With this spy software, which can turn a mobile phone into a “surveillance” device, many applications such as microphone, camera, messages, voice recordings and contacts can be accessed without the user’s knowledge and consent.
US BLACK LISTED, APPLE FILED A CASE
The US administration had blacklisted 4 companies, including Israel-based technology companies NSO Group and Candiru, on November 3, on the grounds that they were selling spyware to foreign countries.
Apple, on the other hand, filed a lawsuit against Pegasus on November 24 and announced that it had taken action to ban the company from using Apple software, services and tools, as well as launching a legal fight against NSO Group, which targeted its users with the Pegasus spyware it developed. (AA)