What is Pegasus Spyware Controversy?
Pegasus Project Explained
The Pegasus project is an international investigative journalism initiative that exposes governments across the world who are secretly spying on Journalists, Opposition politicians, Activists and other business officials using Pegasus spyware developed by the Israeli company NSO.
Link to the previous blog- Pegasus Software
This project was a collaborative effort of the Paris-based NGO Forbidden Stories, Amnesty International Citizen Lab and 17 other Media houses from 10 other countries.
Their investigation was based on a leaked database and found that 50000 phone numbers across the globe were (potential targets) which was done by those countries that use Israel’s NSO group's software pegasus.
1500 users have been identified across the world from the list and a very tiny cross-examination was conducted on these phones with a forensic exam to find the trace of pegasus. Out of these 1500, 10 users were from India, whose phones were used for forensic investigation and a sign of attempted hack or successful compromise was found.
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Let's Analyze this Pegasus project:
The basis of this investigation is a leaked database and it is being considered as Pegasus's potential target. Amnesty International's 2018 report says that there are 43 countries as their client but this investigation brings the name of only 11 countries. That too because these media houses believe that the governments which are ruling in these 11 countries are regressive govt.
The whole project is based on opinions and assumptions. Secondly, how can they be so sure that out of the 43 countries only these 11 countries have been spying, not the others?
The tiny sample size of forensic investigation does not help in arriving at a conclusion. As per Amnesty International, they have not claimed that the data of NSO is leaked. According to Kim Jetter (Amnesty International), this list can be marked as a number of interests to NSO customers. In simple language, these names are not specific targets but those people on whom NSO might spy.
The use of the word "potential" has been a key element in the whole investigation. This word does not give you the authority to accuse anyone directly but creates only a capacity for doubt.
What does NSO have to say on this?
In an interview with ANI, NSO said that this investigation is only a misinterpretation of data. Furthermore, it mentioned that there is a list of 11 countries, but out of these, most of them are not even clients of NSO.
The Ministry of Defence of India answered through a written notice last Monday, in the Parliament, clearing that there was no such deal signed by the Indian government with NSO.
For a moment, let's consider these 50,000 potential targets that are under the spy list. So, to spy on them, the amount goes up to billions but NSO group's 2020 Revenue was $243 which is much less than the expected cost.
Indian Government has made its stance by saying that no such deal was initiated. Amnesty International says that 50000 is a mere list that would attract NSO. According to NSO, 11 countries whose names are there on the list, most of them are not even their clients. However, Investigation agencies believe that the name on the list does not prove anything worthy.
While the general public is still in the dark regarding data security, there comes a second angle to this story: There were journalists whose phones had been attacked or signs of an attack were visible. If NSO gives permission to government agencies, then why are certain journalists being spied on?
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JAI HIND!
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