Smartphone monitoring software 'Pegasus' may have been used to monitor more than 180 journalists in 20 countries
It turns out that 'Pegasus' developed by Israeli security company NSO Group as smartphone monitoring software was used to monitor at least 180 journalists. The number of phone numbers listed as monitored is said to be 50,000, but NSO Gruop denies the content, saying that 'the report has no solid support'.
Pegasus: The new global weapon for silencing journalists • Forbidden Stories
Forensic Methodology Report: How to catch NSO Group's Pegasus | Amnesty International
Private spy software sold by NSO Group found on cellphones worldwide --Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2021/nso-spyware-pegasus-cellphones/
Revealed: leak uncovers global abuse of cyber-surveillance weapon | Surveillance | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/18/revealed-leak-uncovers-global-abuse-of-cyber-surveillance-weapon-nso-group-pegasus
This report on Pegasus was published by the Pegasus Project, a global consortium with more than 80 journalists from 17 media outlets in 10 countries. The project is being organized by Forbidden Stories, an NPO that assists journalists in the activities of journalists with the technical support of the Security Institute of Amnesty International, an international human rights NGO.
According to the report, the research team analyzed a list of more than 50,000 phone numbers that NSO Group customers gave for monitoring. The results show that at least 10 customers monitored the phone numbers of more than 180 journalists in 20 countries.
According to Forbidden Stories, applicable countries are Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Hungary, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Togo, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates. Federation, India. It is said that the targets of surveillance included not only journalists and human rights activists who had been pointed out before, but also political opponents, businessmen, and even the head of state.
Journalists being monitored have already been threatened or arrested. There have also been reports of cases of fleeing abroad to escape such persecution, but still under surveillance. Forbidden Stories said it could be life-threatening, like journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after visiting the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in Turkey in October 2018 and is believed to have been killed inside the consulate. Pointed out.
Carlos Martinez de la Serna, Program Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, told Forbidden Stories, 'Surveillance on journalists has a very strong chilling effect, which makes journalists hostile for their mission. It's a very important issue that everyone must take seriously, not only in the situation of working in a social environment, but also in the United States, Western European countries and other countries. '
The NSO Group, the developer of Pegasus, told Forbidden Stories and its media partners, 'For contractual and national security reasons, we confirm or deny the identities of our government customers. I can't do that. ' On top of that, the Pegasus Project's report is based on 'wrong assumptions' and 'unconfirmed theories,' with the 50,000 phone number data analyzed by the research group being 'government using Pegasus. It can't be the targeted phone number list. ' Regarding the use of Pegasus, 'We do not know the specific intelligence activities of our customers, but as a rudimentary and common sense understanding of information, it is clear that this type of system is mainly used for purposes other than monitoring. I will come to a conclusion. '
Related Posts:
in Software, Posted by logc_nt