Apple has filed a lawsuit against NSO Group — the company responsible for the Pegasus spyware that has generated so much controversy in various countries. Apple accuses the Israeli company of illegal surveillance of a number of iOS users using the Pegasus software.
Apple also wants to “prevent further abuse and harm to its users, and a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any Apple software, services, or devices.”
Craig Federighi, Apple’s vice president of Software Engineering, also pointed to the “state-sponsored actors,” previously proven to be the NSO Group’s top customers — “they spend millions of dollars on sophisticated surveillance technologies without effective accountability.
As noted by Cupertino company, Pegasus spyware is capable of allowing hackers to access the microphone, the camera and other sensitive data on Android and iOS devices. Attackers use fake Apple identifiers to send malicious data to a victim’s device to install Pegasus without the affected user being aware of it.
Apple notes that “while NSO Group spyware continues to evolve, Apple has not observed any evidence of successful remote attacks against devices running iOS 15 and later versions. Apple urges all users to update their iPhone and always use the latest software.”
Apple also plans to donate $10 million to groups like Citizen Lab, Amnesty Tech, and other organizations that research and protect against cyber-surveillance.
