the spanish authorities affirm that the mobile phones of the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, fThey were compromised by NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware.
Sánchez’s mobile device was infected in May 2021 and at least one of the data thefts occurred around that time, according to the Government.
Authorities say they do not know who is behind the attack, or whether it is international or domestic espionage. The attacks were “illicit and external”, which means that they were produced without authorization and by unofficial bodies.
News of the attack comes shortly after it was reported that at least 60 people linked to the Catalan separatist movement also had their mobile devices infected with the “Pegasus” spyware.
“Pegasus” is an espionage tool developed by the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group. Spyware allows attackers full access to an iPhone.
The European Union has called for the use of Pegasus to be banned over allegations that governments have used it to spy on rights activists, journalists and politicians.
