Context:

  • A leading digital news platform reported that the cellphones of at least 300 Indians had been hacked with Pegasus.
  • The victims, important members of India’s constitutional order, included cabinet Ministers, Opposition leaders, journalists, judges and human rights defenders.
  • The Supreme Court set up a technical committee to investigate the matter.
  • The phones who are suspected to be snooped on by the government were asked to be submitted.

About:

  • Pegasus is spyware designed by an Israeli technology and cyber-arms firm, the NSO Group.
  • The spyware can be covertly deployed on mobile phones and is compatible with almost all versions of iOS and Android.
  • The spyware can read text messages, collect passwords, track calls, track locations, access the target device’s camera and microphone, and gather information from applications.
  • The Israeli government classifies Pegasus as a cyber-arm.
  • Moreover, only national governments can purchase it, that too, after the Israeli government’s authorization.
Syllabus: Prelims