Apple files a complaint against the creator of Pegasus, the spyware that managed to hack the iPhone

Apple has just filed a complaint against NSO, the Israeli group that develops the Pegasus spyware. The Californian giant wants American justice to ban NSO from using its products. In the process, Apple recalls that the iPhone is still the most secure device on the market.

Last July, the biggest government spy ring since the Snowden affair was made public. According to an investigation by Forbidden Stories, tens of thousands of smartphones, including many iPhones, have been infected with spyware called Pegasus.

Developped by NSO Group, an Israeli computer security company that collaborates with certain governments, the malware is designed to suck data stored on a phone without the knowledge of its owner. Pegasus was notably used for spy on activists, journalists or politicianss. The spyware would also have infected the smartphones of five ministers of the French government.

On the same topic: this application checks if the Pegasus malware has been installed on your Android or iOS smartphone

Apple takes aim at NSO, the group behind the Pegasus malware

Faced with the outcry caused by the case, Apple finally decided to file a complaint against NSO. In a press release published on November 23, 2021 on its website, the Silicon Valley giant announces that it has taken legal action against the group for “Gross violations of US law”. In US lawsuit, Apple calls for NSO Group to be banned “To use any software, service or device” developed by him.

In its press release, Apple recalls that iPhones remain the most secure smartphones in the world. “Apple devices are the most secure consumer hardware on the market – but private companies developing state-sponsored spyware have become even more dangerous. Although these threats impact only a very small number of our customers, we take any attack against our users very seriously ”, says Craig Federighi, vice president of software at Apple. As in last July, the company also recalls that Pegasus is targeting only one tiny part of its users.

The firm explains that it included in its complaint “New information on how NSO Group infected victims’ devices with its Pegasus spyware”. Apple explains that it was able to analyze one of the flaws exploited by Pegasus to bypass iPhone security. In addition, the firm will provide technical assistance to researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, who are among the experts looking into the case. Finally, Apple will pay $ 10 million to groups fighting against cyber surveillance.