NSO Group Accused of Surveillance in Israel: This time, the spyware maker NSO group is facing an investigation in its own country, Israel. The company came under discussion last year as the creator of the Pegasus spyware used in the cyber-surveillance of politicians, journalists, and other important figures in the international arena.
New allegations have been made against the NSO group, with Israeli police using the company’s spyware to hack into Israeli citizens’ smartphones without permission. The BBC reports that the Israeli government is going to form a commission of inquiry into the allegations.
According to the local Israeli newspaper Calcalist, the list of victims of spyware created by the NSO group includes officials from various sectors, journalists, and the children of the country’s former prime minister. A witness in Netanyahu’s corruption case was also subjected to cyber-surveillance, the BBC reported.
Incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the allegations would be “very serious” if they were substantiated.
The NSO group came to the discussion about Pegasus in 2021. Authoritarian governments have at various times used the organization’s Pegasus spyware as a tool to monitor journalists, rights activists, and political opponents in the international arena.
The company has so far claimed that it has no role in managing the software after it is sold to the buyer and that it is not possible to use Pegasus on Israeli citizens. But in the wake of recent events, the company claims to have survived. The NSO Group has not yet commented on the Israeli government’s investigation.
In addition to stealing messages, photos, and emails from the victim’s smartphone, Pegasus has the ability to record phone calls and secretly turn on the device’s microphone and camera.
The Israeli prime minister said in a statement that “this tool” (Pegasus) and other similar tools are an important tool in combating serious crime and terrorism. But these were not intended to be used in phishing campaigns or on Israeli citizens and officials. That’s why we need to understand what really happened. ” Bennett said he had discussed the issue with newly-appointed Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
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Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Barlev said the commission would be headed by a retired judge and would “investigate in-depth whether civil rights and privacy have been violated.”
Dozens of Israelis have been targeted by NSO spyware, according to Calcalist. The newspaper reported that the country’s police force was monitoring them without any court permission or warrant.
According to the newspaper, the director-general of the Israeli Ministry of Transport, Finance, and Justice has been monitored by NSO spyware. Also on the list of victims are rights activists, mayors of four cities, witnesses in Netanyahu’s corruption case, and top officials of several business organizations.
According to Calculist, the use of NSO spyware occurred between 2015 and 2018. Ronnie Sheikh, the head of the Israeli police force at the time.
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