Military Space News
CYBER WARS
Dozens targeted with Pegasus spyware in Jordan: NGO
Dozens targeted with Pegasus spyware in Jordan: NGO
by AFP Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) Feb 1, 2024

Hackers have used the notorious Pegasus spyware to break into the phones of dozens of journalists and activists in Jordan over the past four years, according to the findings of an investigation released Thursday.

The Access Now NGO highlighted 35 cases of hacking that date back to 2019, with targets that also include lawyers and at least one politician.

The report did not accuse Jordan's government of deploying the spyware but said its use came as the authorities "dialled up their repression of citizens' rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly".

The malware, which can seize control of a phone's microphone and camera and access documents, hit global headlines when a leak in 2021 showed how governments used it to spy on critics.

Despite the scandal, the Israeli firm behind Pegasus, NSO Group, and similar companies continue to sell their products to governments around the world.

The United States is one of the few countries to act against the industry, blacklisting companies including NSO, which limits the ability of Americans to do business with them.

But Access Now's regional policy director Marwa Fatafta said there was generally no oversight of companies offering such spying software, allowing the surveillance sector to continue its "secretive and shady" manner of business.

"Governments are feverishly purchasing their technologies to spy on their citizens and to crack down on civil society," she told AFP.

The NGO reiterated its call for an outright ban on any spyware that enables rights abuses.

"There is no proportionate use of spyware," Fatafta said.

- 'Much more intrusive' -

Access Now said most of the cases it had uncovered in Jordan dated from 2020 to late 2023.

Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian-American journalist in Jordan, had his phone hacked three times in 2022 and 2023 and faced a further seven failed attempts.

He said most journalists working in the Middle East expect their phones to be tapped.

"In the past it was only people overhearing what you say, but Pegasus is much more intrusive," Kuttab told AFP.

He said the most worrying aspect was the possibility that bad actors could get access to his contacts.

"I don't want to burn my contacts, I don't want to hurt them," he said.

According to Access Now, many of the people targeted had been connected in some way to a month-long teachers' strike in 2019, which prompted the authorities to arrest hundreds of teachers and dissolve their union.

Access Now said it had not been able to prove forensically who was behind the Pegasus attacks.

But a separate 2022 report from two other NGOs, Citizen Lab and Front Line Defenders, identified "two Pegasus operators that we believe are likely agencies of the Jordanian government".

NSO, which faces multiple lawsuits from Apple and others, has repeatedly insisted it sells its software only to government clients and only for peaceful purposes.

But the 2021 leak suggested there were around 50,000 potential victims of Pegasus around the world, many of whom were dissidents, journalists and activists.

Related Links
Cyberwar - Internet Security News - Systems and Policy Issues

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CYBER WARS
New Hong Kong law to expand security control
Hong Kong (AFP) Jan 30, 2024
Hong Kong's leader John Lee on Tuesday announced that the city would urgently create a new security law to crush pro-independence threats, nearly four years after authorities extinguished a huge democracy movement. The law will expand on legislation imposed by China in June 2020 to silence dissent, adding in crimes such as insurrection and external interference. Critics of the existing security law have said it has affected Hong Kong's status as an international hub, and culled freedoms the city ... read more

CYBER WARS
U.S. hits two more Houthi missiles in ninth Yemen attack

MBDA secures contracts to fortify Royal Navy's against ballistic threats

US Air Force, Raytheon, and Kongsberg collaborate on GhostEye MR Air Defense Test

Tranche 1 Missile Tracking Satellites by L3Harris completes review ahead of production start

CYBER WARS
NKorea's Kim oversaw test of cruise missiles launched from submarine: state media

Commercial vessel hit by missile off Yemen: security firm

Russia says destroyed 20 Ukrainian missiles over Black Sea, Crimea

North Korea fires cruise missiles in fresh flurry of tests

CYBER WARS
US vows decisive response to deadly drone attack in Jordan

Ukraine says Russia attack with 20 drones, missiles overnight

US strikes 10 Huthi drones, downs unmanned Iranian aircraft

NASA Autonomous Flight Software Successfully Used in Air Taxi Stand-Ins

CYBER WARS
General Atomics to Showcase Optical Communication Terminals in Space with SDA Contract

L3Harris Technologies showcases Waveform X capabilities in live flight demonstration

Lockheed Martin secures $890M SDA contract for advanced missile tracking satellites

Rocket Lab secures $515M contract with Space Development Agency for Tranche 2 constellation

CYBER WARS
Britons should be prepared to fight a land war: army chief

Lithuania seeks Leopard tanks amid security concerns

NATO signs $1.2-bn artillery deal with Ukraine; Norway gears up for ammunition production

Ukraine minister criticises insufficient weapons supply

CYBER WARS
Defense Department lists dozens of Chinese military companies operating in U.S.

Canada drops ban on military exports to Turkey

India fetes France's Macron at annual military parade

UK arms export licences to Israel in the dock

CYBER WARS
NATO chief to US conservatives: US alliance 'a good deal'

Russia sees NATO as 'threat', Kremlin says amid drills

Meeting NATO, Blinken warns Ukraine gains in doubt if no US aid

Turkey ratifies Sweden's NATO bid; Hungary last obstacle to membership

CYBER WARS
MIT.nano equipment to accelerate innovation in "tough tech" sectors

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.