Moroccan intelligence insider reveals widespread use of Pegasus hacking software
Why This Matters
This revelation highlights the alarming proliferation of Pegasus spyware and underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability from governments and tech companies regarding their use of surveillance tools. The widespread deployment of such software by Morocco's intelligence services raises concerns about the erosion of privacy and the targeting of vulnerable individuals, including journalists and human rights defenders. This development also underscores the importance of robust oversight and regulation to prevent the misuse of surveillance technology.
Whistleblower suggests internal security services deployed spyware from 2017 against key domestic and foreign targetsA former member of Morocco’s domestic intelligence service has helped to provide an unprecedented insight into how the north African state used hacking software – including Pegasus spyware – to target journalists, human rights defenders, French politicians and Spanish cabinet ministers and police officers.Pegasus, which is manufactured by the Israel-based NSO Group, allows its operator to access everything on a target’s mobile phone, including emails, text messages and photographs. It can also activate the phone’s recorder and camera, turning it into a listening device. Continue reading...
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