Did the police in Israel use Pegasus spyware on citizens?
The answer could upend Israel’s most important judicial case
UNTIL RECENTLY many Israelis took pride in Pegasus, a fearsome bit of spyware developed by NSO Group, a local firm. The technology exploits weaknesses in a smartphone’s digital defences, allowing users to eavesdrop on conversations, access data and control the camera and microphone. While marketed as a means for governments to fight organised crime and terrorism, Pegasus has reportedly been used by authoritarians to target activists, journalists and politicians. But Israelis brushed aside those concerns. The tool’s popularity was proof that their country’s tech firms are world class.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The surveillance state”
From the February 12th 2022 edition
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