Apple sues Pegasus spyware maker NSO Group for targeting its users

The suit from the Silicon Valley giant added to the troubles facing NSO, which was mired in controversy over reports that tens of thousands of activists, journalists and politicians were listed as potential targets of its Pegasus spyware. .

US officials blacklisted NSO just a few weeks ago for restricting exports from US groups, on charges that the Israeli firm “enabled foreign governments to conduct international repression.”

“To prevent further abuse and harm to its users, Apple prohibits the NSO Group from using any Apple software, services or devices,” Apple said in a statement announcing the lawsuit filed in US federal court in California. Seeking a permanent injunction to do so.”

The iPhone maker wrote in its case, “The defendants are notorious hackers – 21st century mercenaries who have built highly sophisticated cyber-surveillance machinery that invites routine and major abuse.”

NSO has consistently denied any wrongdoing and insisted that its software is only for use by authorities in fighting terrorism and other crimes.

“Pedophiles and terrorists can technically operate freely in safe havens, and we provide governments with legitimate tools to fight this,” the firm said in a statement to AFP. The NSO group will continue to advocate for truth. “

Pegasus-infected smartphones are essentially turned into pocket spying devices, allowing users to read targets’ messages, view their photos, track their location, and more without even knowing them. You can turn on your camera.

Apple says there are 1.65 billion active Apple devices worldwide, including more than a billion iPhones.

– ‘Spyware for hire’ –

Apple’s lawsuit isn’t the first from a big tech firm — Facebook sued NSO Group in 2019, accusing it of using WhatsApp Messenger to cyber-spy on journalists, human rights activists and others.

That lawsuit, filed in California federal court, alleged that nearly 1,400 devices were targeted with malicious software to steal valuable information from users of the messaging app.

Jake Williams said, “This may not be good news for NSO, which is reportedly in danger of default with more than $500 million in debt, the recent leadership shakeup with their CEO, and France’s return to the U.S. Pulled out of a planned purchase after sanctions.” From cyber security firm Breachquest.

After initial concern over Pegasus, a subsequent wave of concern surfaced when Apple released a fix for a weakness in September that allowed NSO’s spyware to infect devices without users clicking on malicious messages or links. got permission.

The so-called “zero-click” attack is capable of silently corrupting the targeted device, and was identified by researchers at Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity monitoring organization in Canada.

Apple on Tuesday said it was notifying a “small number” of users it learned may have been targeted by these types of attacks.

Ron Deebert, director of Citizen Lab, said, “Hiring spyware firms like NSO Group have facilitated some of the world’s worst human rights abuses and acts of international repression, while enriching themselves and their investors.”

This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed. Only the title has been changed.