A massive data leak has exposed the alleged abuse of Pegasus, a hacking software developed by the Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group, by authoritarian governments to target activists, journalists, and lawyers worldwide. The investigation, led by the Guardian and 16 other media organisations, suggests widespread misuse of the spyware, which NSO insists is intended only for use against criminals and terrorists.
Pegasus is a malware that infects iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos, and emails, record calls, and secretly activate microphones. The leak contains a list of over 50,000 phone numbers identified as persons of interest by NSO clients since 2016. While the presence of a number does not confirm infection, forensic analysis of a small sample of phones found traces of Pegasus on more than half.
The list includes hundreds of business executives, religious figures, academics, NGO employees, union officials, and government officials, including cabinet ministers, presidents, and prime ministers. It also contains numbers of close family members of one country's ruler, suggesting possible surveillance of relatives. Over 180 journalists from outlets such as the Financial Times, CNN, and Reuters are listed, including a Mexican freelance reporter who was murdered shortly after his number appeared.
NSO has denied the claims, stating it does not operate the systems and vets customers rigorously. The company sells only to military, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies in 40 unnamed countries, with export licences granted by the Israeli defence ministry. NSO recently published a transparency report claiming an industry-leading approach to human rights.
