The targeting of the 37 smartphones would appear to conflict with the stated purpose of NSO’s licensing of the Pegasus spyware, which the company says is intended only for use in surveilling terrorists and major criminals. The consortium found many of the phone numbers in at least 10 country clusters, which were subjected to deeper analysis: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. After the investigation began, several reporters in the consortium learned that they or their family members had been successfully attacked with Pegasus spyware. Beyond the personal intrusions made possible by smartphone surveillance, the widespread use of spyware has emerged as a leading threat to democracies worldwide, critics say. Also on the list were the numbers of two Turkish officials involved in investigating his dismemberment by a Saudi hit team.

Source: Washington Post July 18, 2021 16:08 UTC