The New York Times has reported on a Federal Government warning, issued to the public, about commercial spyware, potentially infecting mobile devices. While there are different types of spyware “in the wild”, the focus has been on commercially developed spyware, dubbed “Pegasus”, which was created by the NSO Group, and is a “zero-click” vulnerability, requiring no user interaction. Pegasus has the ability to access nearly all of your mobile device’s content. It was initially being used to spy on dissidents, journalists, politicians and other high profile targets, but the concern is that it is becoming more widely used.
The above-referenced warning offers steps to help mitigate risk, but states “While these steps mitigate risks, they don’t eliminate them”.
Resource:
- Biden Warns of Spyware Targeting Dissidents, The New York Times (01/07/22)