BANGKOK: Dozens of Thai democracy activists were targeted by controversial Israeli spyware known as Pegasus during the height of intense anti-government protests, according to a report by an international digital rights group.
Mass demonstrations engulfed Thailand’s capital Bangkok two years ago, as thousands called for more civil liberties as well as the loosening of strict monarchy laws that bar any criticism of the monarchy.
Canada’s cyber security watchdog report civil laboratory In partnership with Thai groups iLaw and DigitalReach, it identified some 30 activists, academics, lawyers and activists from NGOs – mostly affiliated with civil rights organizations – whose mobile devices were affected.
“The transition occurred from October 2020 to November 2021, coinciding with a period of widespread pro-democracy protests, and primarily targeted key figures in the pro-democracy movement,” the report said.
Pegasus Software, made by Israeli firm NSO GroupOnce successfully infiltrated a mobile device, it can extract data and activate the camera or microphone.
The report stops short of definitively saying who was behind the use of the spyware, although it notes that the NSO Group says they only sell the technology to governments.
In its executive summary of the findings, Thai NGO Ilaw said: “It can be concluded circumstantial that the use of Pegasus against dissidents would be of significant benefit to the Thai government.”
Among those targeted, Citizen Lab said, there were fewer principled lawyers. Arnon Nampasprotest leader Panusay Sithijiravantankuli and workers Jatupat Boonpattararaksha,
Panusaya is currently out on bail and facing 10 royal defamation charges, while Jatupati He was denied bail earlier this year after being accused of insulting the monarchy.
Those affected were removed in November 2021 when Apple sending a notification informing them that their devices had been targeted by state-backed attacks.
Amnesty International condemned the hacking after an independent investigation.
“These new revelations are a shocking example of how less officials can fall for controlling peaceful dissent,” said technologist Etienne Menier.
“It is worth remembering that this is only what has been found so far, and the scale of surveillance efforts may be larger and more damaging.”
This is the latest case of Israeli software being used to track dissidents.
NSO Group is currently being sued in the US by Apple, which alleges that the firm’s spyware was used to infiltrate several iPhones around the world.
Mass demonstrations engulfed Thailand’s capital Bangkok two years ago, as thousands called for more civil liberties as well as the loosening of strict monarchy laws that bar any criticism of the monarchy.
Canada’s cyber security watchdog report civil laboratory In partnership with Thai groups iLaw and DigitalReach, it identified some 30 activists, academics, lawyers and activists from NGOs – mostly affiliated with civil rights organizations – whose mobile devices were affected.
“The transition occurred from October 2020 to November 2021, coinciding with a period of widespread pro-democracy protests, and primarily targeted key figures in the pro-democracy movement,” the report said.
Pegasus Software, made by Israeli firm NSO GroupOnce successfully infiltrated a mobile device, it can extract data and activate the camera or microphone.
The report stops short of definitively saying who was behind the use of the spyware, although it notes that the NSO Group says they only sell the technology to governments.
In its executive summary of the findings, Thai NGO Ilaw said: “It can be concluded circumstantial that the use of Pegasus against dissidents would be of significant benefit to the Thai government.”
Among those targeted, Citizen Lab said, there were fewer principled lawyers. Arnon Nampasprotest leader Panusay Sithijiravantankuli and workers Jatupat Boonpattararaksha,
Panusaya is currently out on bail and facing 10 royal defamation charges, while Jatupati He was denied bail earlier this year after being accused of insulting the monarchy.
Those affected were removed in November 2021 when Apple sending a notification informing them that their devices had been targeted by state-backed attacks.
Amnesty International condemned the hacking after an independent investigation.
“These new revelations are a shocking example of how less officials can fall for controlling peaceful dissent,” said technologist Etienne Menier.
“It is worth remembering that this is only what has been found so far, and the scale of surveillance efforts may be larger and more damaging.”
This is the latest case of Israeli software being used to track dissidents.
NSO Group is currently being sued in the US by Apple, which alleges that the firm’s spyware was used to infiltrate several iPhones around the world.