Pegasus iPhone spyware employed in armed conflict for the first time

Researchers have found that at least a dozen people in Armenia were targeted with Pegasus phone hacking software in the first recorded use of iPhone spyware in a military conflict between October 2020 and December 2022. Pegasus is a powerful tool that can steal sensitive information, track people's movements, and even turn on their phones' cameras and microphones without their knowledge. The hacking appears to be linked to the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The researchers say that the hacking was done by a customer of the NSO Group, but they cannot conclusively identify which one. The NSO Group has said that it investigates all credible reports of its spyware being abused.The use of Pegasus spyware in a military conflict is a worrying development, as it suggests that the technology is being used for surveillance and repression. The fact that the NSO Group has continued to develop new ways to hack iPhones and other smartphones despite being blacklisted as a US national security risk is also concerning. It suggests that the company is willing to put profits ahead of security.