NSO blocks some government clients from using Pegasus spyware: Reports

NSO group, the Israeli cybersecurity company at the centre of the Pegasus spyware
scandal, has temporarily blocked several government clients from using its
spyware technology, reports NPR.

The suspensions are in response to an investigation by the name Pegasus
Project, a consortium of media outlets that reported that Pegasus spyware was
used for surveillance of phones of people including journalists, human rights
activists, political leaders and heads of state.

The reports triggered concerns around privacy and the Israeli government
also came under international pressure since it regulates the sale of spyware
technology to other countries.

The media consortium reported French President Emmanuel Macron’s phone was
listed as a potential target for surveillance by Morocco and the fiancée of
slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was hacked into with Pegasus spyware.

Now, NSO claims that it has suspended some clients’ access to its spyware
technology.

The Washington Post reports that the suspended clients are Saudi Arabia,
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and some public agencies in Mexico.

A company spokesperson speaking to NPR did not name or quantify the
government agencies — or their countries— that were suspended.

According to NSO, it has 60 customers in 40 countries and all of them are
either intelligence agencies, law enforcement bodies or militaries.

The company maintains that it only sells its spyware to countries to help
them fight crime and terrorism.  

The spokesperson further told NPR that the NSO group “will no longer be
responding to media inquiries on this matter and it will not play along with
the vicious and slanderous campaign”.  

The new suspensions come after the Israeli government initiated an
investigation into the goings-on of the company. Israeli officials visited NSO’s
office in Herzliya near Tel Aviv on Wednesday, “in order to assess the
allegations raised against the company”, the Israeli defense ministry said in a
statement.