Learn How Pegasus Spyware Works, Who It Targets, and Why It's a Global Privacy Concern
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Pegasus, a name that might sound mythical, is far from a fairytale. Instead, it is one of the world’s most controversial pieces of spyware, designed to secretly hack mobile devices. Developed by the Israeli cyber intelligence firm NSO Group in 2010, Pegasus has sparked global outrage and debates due to its misuse by governments for tracking politicians, activists, journalists, and even high-profile figures like French President Emmanuel Macron and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into what Pegasus spyware is, how it works, and why it has become such a hot topic in the tech and political world.
What is Pegasus Spyware?
Pegasus is a sophisticated spyware created by NSO Group, a company that claims to sell it only to government agencies for legitimate purposes like tracking criminals and terrorists. Once Pegasus infects a mobile phone, it gains access to almost everything on the device—text messages, emails, contacts, location data, photos, and even encrypted information. What makes Pegasus even scarier is that it can take control of a phone’s camera and microphone without the user’s knowledge, turning the phone into a spying device.
The spyware works on a variety of platforms, including Android, iOS (Apple), Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and Symbian operating systems. It leaves no trace, making it impossible for most users to detect its presence.
How Pegasus Spyware Works
What makes Pegasus especially dangerous is its ability to install itself on a phone without the owner doing anything. It uses a method called “zero-click” attacks, meaning the user doesn’t need to click on a malicious link or open a harmful attachment. All it takes is receiving a WhatsApp message or a missed call, and Pegasus can sneak into the device. Even if the user ignores or deletes the message, the spyware can still install itself silently.
Once Pegasus is in the phone, it exploits vulnerabilities in the device’s operating system, taking full control. This means it can monitor calls, read messages, track the user’s location, and collect passwords, all without the user knowing. It even bypasses encryption by accessing data before it is encrypted, making it highly dangerous for anyone using encrypted apps like Signal or WhatsApp.
High-Profile Targets of Pegasus
Although NSO Group keeps its client list confidential, investigations have shown that Pegasus has been used in over 50 countries. Some of the most shocking cases involve the spyware being used to track individuals who pose no security threat but instead are critics or opponents of certain regimes.
One of the most infamous cases is the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Pegasus was reportedly used to spy on Khashoggi’s wife months before his assassination. Similarly, in 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were among those whose phones were reportedly targeted.
Even tech giant Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post (for which Khashoggi worked), had his phone hacked using Pegasus. This raised concerns about how far-reaching and powerful this spyware can be, even infiltrating the phones of world leaders and billionaires.
How Governments Use Pegasus
According to NSO Group, Pegasus is meant to help law enforcement and government agencies track dangerous criminals such as terrorists, drug traffickers, and money launderers. However, its misuse is a major concern. Reports suggest authoritarian governments and even some democratic ones have used Pegasus to target political opponents, journalists, and human rights activists.
For example, the spyware played a role in the 2016 arrest of drug lord El Chapo in Mexico. While tracking criminals is a legitimate use of the technology, the concern lies in how Pegasus has been used to monitor and suppress free speech and human rights around the world.
Why is Pegasus controversial?
The primary issue with Pegasus is that it violates privacy on a massive scale. With the spyware gaining full control of a phone, users’ personal information is exposed without their consent or knowledge. Governments can misuse Pegasus to spy on anyone they choose, raising serious ethical and legal questions.
In 2021, a group of journalists and human rights organizations formed The Pegasus Project to investigate how the spyware was being used globally. They uncovered a leaked list of over 50,000 phone numbers that had been targeted by Pegasus, many belonging to journalists, activists, and politicians. This project brought international attention to the unethical uses of the spyware.
Pegasus Lawsuits and Blacklisting
In response to its controversial use, major tech companies have taken action against NSO Group. Facebook (now Meta) sued the company in 2019 under the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act after it was revealed that Pegasus had targeted WhatsApp users. In 2021, Apple also filed a lawsuit against NSO Group, and U.S. President Joe Biden took the drastic step of blacklisting the company, making it illegal for U.S. firms to sell technology to them.
Pegasus has also been classified as a weapon in Israel, meaning the Israeli government must approve any exports of the spyware to other countries. Despite these restrictions, Pegasus continues to be used by many countries around the world.
Conclusion: Is There Any Way to Stop Pegasus?
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to block or detect Pegasus spyware once it is on your phone. With the rise of sophisticated surveillance technology like Pegasus, privacy advocates are raising concerns about the future of individual privacy. As of now, only governments and tech companies seem to have the power to stop its spread through lawsuits and regulatory measures.
For individuals, the best protection is to stay aware of this technology and push for stronger regulations on surveillance tools. In the meantime, Pegasus continues to loom as a shadowy threat, capable of turning your phone into a spying device at any moment.
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