Security What is Pegasus spyware and how does it hack phones?

[J65nko]

From https://www.theguardian.com/news/202...it-hack-phones :

It is the name for perhaps the most powerful piece of spyware ever developed – certainly by a private company. Once it has wormed its way on to your phone, without you noticing, it can turn it into a 24-hour surveillance device. It can copy messages you send or receive, harvest your photos and record your calls. It might secretly film you through your phone’s camera, or activate the microphone to record your conversations. It can potentially pinpoint where you are, where you’ve been, and who you’ve met.

Pegasus is the hacking software – or spyware – that is developed, marketed and licensed to governments around the world by the Israeli company NSO Group. It has the capability to infect billions of phones running either iOS or Android operating systems.

You can read more at the Pegasus project page: https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/pegasus-project

[fvgit]

Pegasus CEO says law-abiding citizens have 'nothing to be afraid of'

I think we need a facepalm smiley.

[e1-531g]

Google warns that NSO hacking is on par with elite nation-state spies

But the Project Zero researchers write in their analysis that ForcedEntry is still “one of the most technically sophisticated exploits we've ever seen.” NSO Group has achieved a level of innovation and refinement, they say, that is generally assumed to be reserved for a small cadre of nation-state hackers.

The company's products have been so abused by its customers around the world that NSO Group now faces sanctions, high-profile lawsuits, and an uncertain future.

[shep]

Big questions; Was the US a NSO customer? Was it in use around January 6th? Or prior to November 7th?