A recent investigation by Amnesty International and The Washington Post has revealed that India’s government has employed the highly invasive Pegasus spyware to target high-profile journalists.
The findings, published on Thursday, highlight India’s repeated use of Pegasus against journalists, including one who had been a previous victim of a similar attack using the same spyware.
Pegasus, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, is known for its capability to access a phone’s messages and emails, view photos, eavesdrop on calls, track locations, and even activate the camera to record the owner.
The spyware, purportedly sold exclusively to governments or security agencies, has been widely documented as being used against journalists and activists in numerous countries.
The investigation pointed out that journalists Siddharth Varadarajan, the founding editor of digital media outlet The Wire, and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor at The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), were targeted with Pegasus on their iPhones. The most recent identified case occurred in October 2023.
Amnesty’s Security Lab uncovered evidence from Mangnale’s device, indicating that a zero-click exploit, designed to covertly install Pegasus, was sent to his phone. A zero-click exploit allows the installation of spyware on a device without the user needing to click on a link.
Donncha O Cearbhaill, the head of Amnesty’s Security Lab, expressed concern about the threat of unlawful surveillance faced by journalists in India, emphasizing the need for accountability regarding the use of Pegasus spyware.
The report highlights a broader trend of governments using such tools for potential human rights violations against journalists and activists.
Israeli High-Tech Firms Raise $1.5 Billion in Q4 2023, Defying Economic Challenges
Meanwhile, preliminary data revealed that Israeli high-tech firms secured $1.5 billion in funding during the fourth quarter of 2023, signaling continued foreign investment in Israeli startups despite the ongoing conflict in the region.
The Israel Venture Capital (IVC) Research Centre and LeumiTech reported a 15% decrease in fundraising from the third quarter, but 75 deals were still executed by December 26. Notably, the war in Israel began on October 7.
