Israeli police have hacked the phones of public figures, journalists and members of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's entourage on a large scale using Pegasus software, according to new revelations published Monday by an Israeli newspaper.
Read alsoAfter the Pegasus scandal, NSO's descent into hell
After initial revelations from the economic daily Calcalist having prompted the justice system to open an investigation on January 20, the police admitted last week to having used computer spy technologies "
without a warrant
", without however naming the Pegasus software of the Israeli company. NSO.
On Monday, the Calcalist daily claims that the use of the Pegasus program had become common for gathering intelligence and that it was notably used, without judicial authorization, against Avner Netanyahu, one of the sons of the former prime minister, media advisers of the latter, leading journalists and mayors.
“
From cabinet directors of ministries, to journalists and business people: the mass Pegasus infection has affected everyone, from disability and Ethiopian rights activists, to corporate executives, to mayors and to those close to the Prime Minister
", according to the daily.
"
In the light of recent publications
," Israeli police commander Yaakov Shabtai said in a statement that he had asked Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev to set up an external and independent investigation to "
restore public trust
" and "
regulate the use of technology by the police
".
Last week, other Israeli media claimed that police were suspected of hacking into the phone of a key witness in Binyamin Netanyahu's trial.
Israeli cybersecurity group NSO, which owns Pegasus, has neither denied nor confirmed the sale of the software to the police, stressing that it was "
in no way involved in the operation of the system once sold to government customers
." ".
NSO found itself exposed in 2021 after investigations published by a consortium of 17 international media claiming that its software had been used to spy on the phones of journalists, politicians including heads of state, activists and leaders. companies in different countries.
