Apple sued spyware maker NSO on Tuesday for targeting the users of its devices, saying the Israeli firm at the center of the Pegasus surveillance scandal needs to be held to account.
“Apple today filed a lawsuit against NSO Group and its parent company to hold it accountable for the surveillance and targeting of Apple users. The complaint provides new information on how NSO Group infected victims’ devices with its Pegasus spyware. To prevent further abuse and harm to its users, Apple is also seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any Apple software, services, or devices," a statement from the company read.
Pegasus infiltrates phones to vacuum up personal and location data and surreptitiously controls the smartphones microphones and cameras. Researchers have found several examples of NSO Group tools using so-called zero click exploits that infect targeted mobile phones without any user interaction.
“NSO Group creates sophisticated, state-sponsored surveillance technology that allows its highly targeted spyware to surveil its victims. These attacks are only aimed at a very small number of users, and they impact people across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android," the statement said.
“Researchers and journalists have publicly documented a history of this spyware being abused to target journalists, activists, dissidents, academics, and government officials," it added.
Tech giant Facebook is currently suing NSO Group in U.S. federal court for allegedly targeting some 1,400 users of its encrypted messaging service WhatsApp with highly sophisticated spyware.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced it is putting new export limits on Israel’s NSO Group, the worlds most infamous hacker-for-hire company, saying its tools have been used to conduct transnational repression.
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