Pegasus Report : An attack beyond privacy

Knowing Pegasus : A spyware developed by NSO Group (An Israeli Company), to infiltrate smart phones running on iOS and android platforms. Even after, security updates, the iOS and Android are breached, reports , “The Amnesty International”.

The aim is to convert, the device into surveillance device. The method of attack of Pegasus is known as “Zero Click Attacks”, where the user has nothing do, and his phone gets hacked over a WhatsApp missed call.

To keep, the user unknown to it, the spyware alters the call logs. Non connection with the command server for continuous 60 days leads to self destruction of the traces.

Even, if it comes to know about installation on a wrong device, it gets self destructed. It is advised to the users, to download , the apps from a trusted source and keep updating their security features.

Those Compromised

INDIANS

As per the reports of, the Guardian, the phones of Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Ashok Lavasa (Former Election Commissioner of India), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC Leader) & Ashwini Vaishnaw (Union Minister of IT) have been compromised.

Others

One number used by Imran Khan (PM of Pakistan) and hundred others also, appear in the list.

Pegasus says, it sells only to government agencies and not to clients, with a motive to curb crime.

Media Houses & their Contribution

Forbidden Stories, a Paris based NGO and Amnsety International got the list which was later shared with 17 media publications.

Amnesty’s International’s Security Lab provided forensic analyses and technical supports, while forbidden and the media houses conducted the investigation, called the Pegasus Report.

 If the reports are correct, the attack is beyond an attack on privacy and is “illegal” and “deplorable”.

Union Minister of IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, said, “ The report was to malign, the democracy.”