Powerful spyware used by US government officials, realistic threats of infringement

NSO Group, an Israeli company developing spyware, has controversial in the face of a high -legal pressure, assuming that its hacking tools have been abnormal and investigative authorities around the world.Under these circumstances, it has been revealed that at least nine US State officials, including the US Department of State officials, had used NSO tools by unknown hackers.According to Apple, debts have been infringed in recent months.

According to Reuters, who first reported the news, the affected US government officials have revealed that they had been working in Uganda or engaging in Uganda.Uganda's politicians seemed to have been targeted for this attack.

Attacks using NSO's spyware "Pegasus", which operate on both Apple's "iOS" and Google's "Android", have been detected for several years.Once Pegasus is installed on a device, Pegasus can track user location information, launch a microphone, or steal data.

Playy denial

The abuse is exactly the concern that activists who complain of Privacy Protection and Human Rights have warned for many years.In other words, the NSO does not have an appropriate management system, and is concerned that customers have not restricted how the customers use the powerful tools.In addition, it became clear that NSO has repeatedly argued that spyware cannot be used for devices registered with US phone numbers.There is.

"After the software is sold to customers who have a license, NSO has no choice but to know who the customer is targeted. Therefore, I was not aware of this situation.NSO Group spokeswoman commented.He said, "We have decided to immediately block related customers' access to systems."

Such a plausible denial is the usual thing in NSO Group.CEO Shalev Frio, CEO, said that in the July interview of "Forbes", it would be like a buyer drunk after selling his own company to a car manufacturer.I'm talking.

But the powerful spyware used by the government is very different from cars.People who criticize NSO point out that despite the prediction that their main products are abused, they have never taken sufficient measures.

"Just as NSO's claim that customers have restricted the targets that can be targeted, it indicates that the safety measures provided in NSO products were inadequate."Jake Williams, a former hacker of the National Security Bureau (NSA), specializes in incidents."This is a complete prediction. If the government has the functions purchased from NSO and have confidential information that you want to obtain, you must use any tools you can use."

U.S. government with delayed response

The message application "Whatsapp", which is a subsidiary of Meta, which runs Facebook, has appealed for NSO Group in 2019.Hacking, which seems to have used the NSO tool, was abused, causing thousands of victims.Apple has filed his own lawsuit last week and challenged the battle.