Shalev Hulio CEO NSO Group (LinkedIn)
Apple has released a security update for devices that use its iOS operating system that should protect them from the infamous Pegasus spyware produced by Israel’s NSO Group cybersecurity firm. The new update can be easily installed on iPhones and tablets.
The update came after Citizen Lab, an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, found new threats posed by Pegasus. Citizen Lab stated that it found an actively exploited zero-click vulnerability being used to deliver NSO Group’s Pegasus mercenary spyware while checking the device of an individual employed by a Washington DC-based civil society organization with international offices. The exploit chain, said Citizen Lab, was capable of compromising iPhones running the latest version of iOS (16.6) without any interaction from the victim.
“This latest find shows once again that civil society is targeted by highly sophisticated exploits and mercenary spyware,” said Citizen Lab in a blog post. “Apple’s update will secure devices belonging to regular users, companies, and governments around the globe. The BLASTPASS discovery highlights the incredible value to our collective cybersecurity of supporting civil society organizations.”
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Israel Cybersecurity firm NSO Group develops ways to break through encryptions and security systems. Last year, it was revealed that NSO Group’s Pegasus Spyware software aids in the violation of people’s human rights around the world and that the company has known all about this. Specifically, they were charged with helping governments hack the telephones of journalists.
NSO Group was eventually blacklisted by the U.S. government in November 2021. And it was reported that NSO Group Pegasus spyware was used to track American embassy employees in East Africa. Specifically, 11 U.S. Embassy employees working in Uganda had their iPhones hacked by the program.
The company’s activities were even felt in Israel itself. A scandal erupted in the country when a report in Calcalist revealed that the Israel Police had hacked the phones of many Israeli citizens, including politicians, without first acquiring the proper court orders for wiretapping as required by law.
