Smartphones of Rights Activists, Journalists Hacked With Private Israeli Spyware
Voice of America
Spyware developed by an Israeli firm and licensed to governments for tracking terrorists and criminals was also used to hack smartphones of human rights activists, business executives and journalists, according to a global investigation by 17 media partners.
The media outlets reported Sunday that 37 smartphones belonging to journalists, human rights activists, business executives and two women close to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi were on a list of more than 50,000 numbers that were concentrated in countries that engage in surveillance of their citizens. These countries include clients of the Israeli firm NSO Group, which is a global leader in the largely unregulated private spyware industry. One of the media partners, The Washington Post, said in its article on the spyware that the phone numbers on the list did not identify names, but reporters were able to identify more than 1,000 people in 50 countries on the list, including several Arab royal family members, at least 65 business executives, 85 human rights activists, 189 journalists, and more than 600 politicians and government officials, including several heads of state and prime ministers.Young women and their coach Dioguinho bring it in for a team huddle at the start of a football training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Agatha strikes a ball during a football training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Relatives watch a football training session for young women run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024.
FILE - A vendor prepares his umbrella as hot days continue in Manila, Philippines, April 29, 2024. FILE - Motorcyclists stop in the shade of a skytrain line on a hot day in Bangkok, Thailand, May 3, 2024. FILE - A man drinks water as he takes a break from cleaning underground sewage on a hot day in Mumbai, India, May 2, 2024.