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Rahul Gandhi at Cambridge: Congress leader says, 'had Pegasus on my phone, Indian democracy....'

Sharing a picture of himself in the presentation slide in which he is seen being held by the police personnel, the Congress leader claimed that the Opposition leaders were "locked up" in jail for "just standing" in front of the Parliament House.&nbsp;

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack at the Centre during a lecture at Cambridge University, alleging that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy while also claiming that Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to snoop into his phone. Rahul claimed that he had been warned by the intelligence officers to be "careful" while speaking on the phone as his calls were being recorded.
Congress leader and ex-advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sam Pitroda shared the YouTube link of Rahul Gandhi's address to MBA students at Cambridge Judge Business School on the topic of 'Learning to Listen in the 21st Century', on Twitter.
Sharing a picture of himself in the presentation slide in which he is seen being held by the police personnel, the Congress leader claimed that the Opposition leaders were "locked up" in jail for "just standing" in front of the Parliament House to talk about some issues, while also alleging that such incidents have happened "relatively violently".

A war of words ensued with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday

Watch: Congress raises Pegasus row in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah demands proof

A war of words ensued with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday over allegations of snooping and surveillance. 

A war of words ensued with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday

A war of words ensued with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday over allegations of snooping and surveillance.&nbsp;
Gogoi, while participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on drug menace, sought to know from the government about the kind of surveillance mechanism it has in place on the country&rsquo;s land and sea borders, as well as international airports, to check the entry of contraband into the country.
The Congress member also sought to know from the Home Minister as to what kind of surveillance and intelligence mechanisms are in place to check the arms smuggling, human trafficking, and smuggling of animal parts at the India-Myanmar border.
Also <a href="https://www.editorji.com/elections/watch-congress-president-kharge-reacts-to-election-results-1670482002191">Watch: Congress President Kharge reacts to election results</a>
&ldquo;You snoop on us again and again, install Pegasus on our phones and that of the journalists,&rdquo; Gogoi charged.
&ldquo;You tell us how many drug mafias you have caught through Pegasus so far,&rdquo; Gogoi asked Shah.
Objecting to the Congress member's remarks, Shah asked Gogoi to submit in the house the proof of his accusation.
&ldquo;He has levelled a very serious allegation that Pegasus has been installed in his mobile. He must submit here the basis (of his accusation) in the House. Either his words are removed or he must submit the basis,&rdquo; Shah said.
&ldquo;The House is for serious discussion, not for reckless politics,&rdquo; he added.
Gogoi urged Speaker Om Birla to issue an order if he made any mistake in asking the government to tell the House if it uses Pegasus for surveillance or not.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/politics/congress-what-about-response-to-modi-govt-s-covid-directive-on-rahul-gandhi-s-bharat-jodo-yatra-1671615810484">Congress' 'what about...' response to Modi govt's Covid directive on Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra</a>
&ldquo;He has said (Pegasus was) used on him. He must submit facts. He can't just talk like this. Rest the Supreme Court has decided,&rdquo; Shah said referring to the apex court's decision on the Pegasus spyware matter.
&ldquo;What can we do if you also do not read like your leader,&rdquo; he also said, hitting out at Gogoi over his remarks. Intervening, the Speaker told the members that it will enhance the dignity of the House if they make their points with facts and proof.
(with PTI inputs)

On News Guru this week, we take an in-depth look at the Pegasus Project and its global ramifications. With Israeli company NSO Group under the scanner for allegedly selling the state-of-the-art spyware Pegasus, what does the Pegasus snooping scandal mean for the Indian democracy? Have governments misused the cyber-surveillance weapon? Who pushed the snooping button and how can we protect our privacy?
Also watch: 'All my phones are tapped': Rahul Gandhi on Pegasus snooping row
Joining Vikram Chandra this week are Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary panel on Information Technology; Raman Jit Singh Chima, Senior International Counsel and Asia Pacific Policy Director, Access Now; Jiten Jain, Director, Voyager Infosec, A Digital Security Lab; and Arvind Gupta, Head, Digital India Foundation.
Watch all the episodes of News Guru on your editorji app, download it here www.editorji.com/download

News Guru | Pegasus Project & the politics of surveillance

On News Guru this week, we take an in-depth look at the Pegasus Project and its global ramifications. With Israeli company NSO Group under the scanner for allegedly selling the state-of-the-art spyware Pegasus, what does the Pegasus snooping scandal mean for the Indian democracy? Have governments misused the cyber-surveillance weapon? Who pushed the snooping button and how can we protect our privacy?
 Joining Vikram Chandra this week are Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary panel on Information Technology; Raman Jit Singh Chima, Senior International Counsel and Asia Pacific Policy Director, Access Now; Jiten Jain, Director, Voyager Infosec, A Digital Security Lab; and Arvind Gupta, Head, Digital India Foundation.
 Watch all the episodes of News Guru on your editorji app, download it herewww.editorji.com/download

On News Guru this week, we take an in-depth look at the Pegasus Project and its global ramifications. With Israeli company NSO Group under the scanner for allegedly selling the state-of-the-art spyware Pegasus, what does the Pegasus snooping scandal mean for the Indian democracy? Have governments misused the cyber-surveillance weapon? Who pushed the snooping button and how can we protect our privacy?
 Joining Vikram Chandra this week are Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary panel on Information Technology; Raman Jit Singh Chima, Senior International Counsel and Asia Pacific Policy Director, Access Now; Jiten Jain, Director, Voyager Infosec, A Digital Security Lab; and Arvind Gupta, Head, Digital India Foundation.
 Watch all the episodes of News Guru on your editorji app, download it herewww.editorji.com/download

As the Pegasus snooping reports create a global outcry and a political war of words in India, Editorji's Vikram Chandra breaks down the alleged surveillance row for you.

On News Guru this week, we take an in-depth look at the Pegasus Project and its global ramifications. With Israeli company NSO Group under the scanner for allegedly selling the state-of-the-art spyware Pegasus, what does the Pegasus snooping scandal mean for the Indian democracy? Have governments misused the cyber-surveillance weapon? Who pushed the snooping button and how can we protect our privacy?
Also watch:&nbsp;<a title="'All my phones are tapped': Rahul Gandhi on Pegasus snooping row" href="https://www.editorji.com/story/all-my-phones-are-tapped-rahul-gandhi-on-pegasus-snooping-row-1627026571804" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'All my phones are tapped': Rahul Gandhi on Pegasus snooping row</a>
Joining Vikram Chandra this week are Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary panel on Information Technology; Raman Jit Singh Chima, Senior International Counsel and Asia Pacific Policy Director, Access Now; Jiten Jain, Director, Voyager Infosec, A Digital Security Lab; and Arvind Gupta, Head, Digital India Foundation.

The Pegasus snooping row has again thrown into spotlight the issue of how safe our phones are. While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.
While some apps try to access financial information from your phone like bank account details or passwords, others can take complete control over your phone including photo gallery, calls, messages and more.
But there are signs that you can look for, which tell you if your phone has been hacked.
#1 Phone's battery is draining faster than usualIf your phone's battery is draining faster than usual, malware and fraudulent apps may be using malicious code that tends to drain a lot of power. But before we scare you, check the number of apps running in the background. First close them and then monitor.
#2 You spot apps that you didn't downloadYour phone may be vulnerabe to hacks if you notice apps on your smartphone that you are sure you didn't download.
#3 Your phone is crashing too many timesKeep an eye out if you find your smartphone is acting weird. Apps crash unexpectedly or fail to load. Many sites look different than they usually do, is a telltale sign.
#4 Your phone is throwing up too many pop-upsIf you notice a lot of inappropriate or X-rated advertisements as pop-ups on your phone, it could suggest that your phone has been compromised. Pop-ups may be due to adware, a type of malicious software that inundates your device with ads. Remember to never click on such links.
#5 The flashlight of your phone turns on, on its ownThe flash light turning on even when you are not using your phone is another sign to look out for. This may be because your device is being remotely controlled.
#6 Your phone is getting very hot even when not in usePhones can heat up during prolonged periods of use, like gaming for hours, or running navigation apps etc. But, if your phone is getting very hot even when you don't use it, there is some cause for worry.
#7 You notice gibberish call logs or text messages&nbsp;You must watch out for texts or calls in your log that were not sent to you or sent by you. If you notice gibberish and unusual characters there, it would be a sign that a hacker could be accessing your phone.
#8 Your data usage suddenly shoots upIf your data bill is higher than usual without you increasing your online activities, it is likely that your phone is hacked and the hacker could be using your phone&rsquo;s data to run apps in the background.
#9 Unrecognised activity on social media accountsIf there are posts on your social media handles that you haven't made or emails sent from your account, that are connected to your phone, it could mean that a hacker has gained access to the device.
#10 Your phone becomes unusually slow and sluggishIf your phone is hanging more often, or the screen is freezing too many times, or your phone is rebooting unexpectedly, it could be a sign of a hacked device.

Pegasus row: How to know if your phone has been hacked? Here are the top 10 signs

The Pegasus snooping row has again thrown into spotlight the issue of how safe our phones are. While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.

Pegasus row: How to know if your phone has spyware or has been hacked

While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.

The Pegasus snooping row has again thrown into spotlight the issue of how safe our phones are. While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.
While some apps try to access financial information from your phone like bank account details or passwords, others can take complete control over your phone including photo gallery, calls, messages and more.
But there are signs that you can look for, which tell you if your phone has been hacked.
#1 Phone's battery is draining faster than usual If your phone's battery is draining faster than usual, malware and fraudulent apps may be using malicious code that tends to drain a lot of power. But before we scare you, check the number of apps running in the background. First close them and then monitor.
#2 You spot apps that you didn't download Your phone may be vulnerabe to hacks if you notice apps on your smartphone that you are sure you didn't download.
#3 Your phone is crashing too many times Keep an eye out if you find your smartphone is acting weird. Apps crash unexpectedly or fail to load. Many sites look different than they usually do, is a telltale sign.
#4 Your phone is throwing up too many pop-ups If you notice a lot of inappropriate or X-rated advertisements as pop-ups on your phone, it could suggest that your phone has been compromised. Pop-ups may be due to adware, a type of malicious software that inundates your device with ads. Remember to never click on such links.
#5 The flashlight of your phone turns on, on its own The flash light turning on even when you are not using your phone is another sign to look out for. This may be because your device is being remotely controlled.
#6 Your phone is getting very hot even when not in use Phones can heat up during prolonged periods of use, like gaming for hours, or running navigation apps etc. But, if your phone is getting very hot even when you don't use it, there is some cause for worry.
#7 You notice gibberish call logs or text messages&nbsp; You must watch out for texts or calls in your log that were not sent to you or sent by you. If you notice gibberish and unusual characters there, it would be a sign that a hacker could be accessing your phone.
#8 Your data usage suddenly shoots up If your data bill is higher than usual without you increasing your online activities, it is likely that your phone is hacked and the hacker could be using your phone&rsquo;s data to run apps in the background.
#9 Unrecognised activity on social media accounts If there are posts on your social media handles that you haven't made or emails sent from your account, that are connected to your phone, it could mean that a hacker has gained access to the device.
#10 Your phone becomes unusually slow and sluggish If your phone is hanging more often, or the screen is freezing too many times, or your phone is rebooting unexpectedly, it could be a sign of a hacked device.

Pegasus hit the headlines after a number of prominent news websites, including the Guardian and the Washington Post, published details of what they called global surveillance operations using Pegasus.
A report by The Wire claimed the surveillance reportedly targets journalists, including over 40 journalists in India, activists and other key public figures.&nbsp;
The reports say that over 10 governments, including India, are involved in surveillance of people using Pegasus spyware.
The Indian govt in a statement rubbished any involvement saying it was "fishing expedition, based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy and its institutions."
What is Pegasus and what does it do?
Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli firm NSO. They claim they sell the software to governments and law enforcement agencies around the world who reportedly use this spyware to prevent crime. But the Pegasus spyware can be used to hack into smartphones and scoop details of WhatsApp chats.
How does Pegasus hack a phone?
Pegasus hacking into phones is so seamless that the user almost has no clue that their device has been compromised. Once a hacker identifies a phone that needs to hacked into, they send the targeted user a malicious website link, and if the user clicks on it, Pegasus is installed on the phone.
It is also installed through a security bug in voice calls made through apps like WhatsApp. Pegasus could be installed on the phone just by giving a missed call to the user. Once, the software was installed, it would delete the call log entry so that the user wouldn't know about the missed call.
How dangerous is Pegasus?
Once Pegasus is on a phone, it can potentially spy on the targeted user completely and thoroughly. Even encrypted chats like the ones made through WhatsApp were accessible to Pegasus. Security researchers have found that Pegasus can read messages, track calls, track user activity within apps, gather location data, access video cameras in a phone, or listen through their microphones.
Should you worry about Pegasus?
When details of Pegasus targeting WhatsApp and Android became public, Google and WhatsApp patched the security holes that Pegasus was exploding. So, if you have an iPhone running iOS 14 or a phone with Android 11, and you have the latest version of the key apps like WhatsApp installed on your phone, you do not have to worry about classic Pegasus.
Why do govts use Pegasus?
A spyware app like Pegasus is extremely expensive, costing millions of dollars, which can only be paid by big organisations or governments. Also, Pegasus like tools are not mass surveillance tools. They are used for targeted surveillance. So a spyware like Pegasus is largely used by govts and security agencies for spying activities.

Explained: What is Pegasus spyware, how it works, should you worry?

Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli firm NSO. They claim they sell the software to governments and law enforcement agencies around the world who reportedly use this spyware to prevent crime.

Pegasus, a spyware developed by an Israeli company hit the headlines, after a report by The Wire that claimed phone numbers of Indian ministers, leaders and journalists were found on a database that was for hacking.

Pegasus hit the headlines after a number of prominent news websites, including the Guardian and the Washington Post, published details of what they called global surveillance operations using Pegasus.
A report by The Wire claimed the surveillance reportedly targets journalists, including over 40 journalists in India, activists and other key public figures.&nbsp;
The reports say that over 10 governments, including India, are involved in surveillance of people using Pegasus spyware.
The Indian govt in a statement rubbished any involvement saying it was "fishing expedition, based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy and its institutions."
What is Pegasus and what does it do?
Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli firm NSO. They claim they sell the software to governments and law enforcement agencies around the world who reportedly use this spyware to prevent crime. But the Pegasus spyware can be used to hack into smartphones and scoop details of WhatsApp chats.
How does Pegasus hack a phone?
Pegasus hacking into phones is so seamless that the user almost has no clue that their device has been compromised. Once a hacker identifies a phone that needs to hacked into, they send the targeted user a malicious website link, and if the user clicks on it, Pegasus is installed on the phone.
It is also installed through a security bug in voice calls made through apps like WhatsApp. Pegasus could be installed on the phone just by giving a missed call to the user. Once, the software was installed, it would delete the call log entry so that the user wouldn't know about the missed call.
 How dangerous is Pegasus?
Once Pegasus is on a phone, it can potentially spy on the targeted user completely and thoroughly. Even encrypted chats like the ones made through WhatsApp were accessible to Pegasus. Security researchers have found that Pegasus can read messages, track calls, track user activity within apps, gather location data, access video cameras in a phone, or listen through their microphones.
Should you worry about Pegasus?
When details of Pegasus targeting WhatsApp and Android became public, Google and WhatsApp patched the security holes that Pegasus was exploding. So, if you have an iPhone running iOS 14 or a phone with Android 11, and you have the latest version of the key apps like WhatsApp installed on your phone, you do not have to worry about classic Pegasus.
Why do govts use Pegasus?
A spyware app like Pegasus is extremely expensive, costing millions of dollars, which can only be paid by big organisations or governments. Also, Pegasus like tools are not mass surveillance tools. They are used for targeted surveillance. So a spyware like Pegasus is largely used by govts and security agencies for spying activities.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stated that nearly 5 years ago, NSO, the Israeli tech firm, had approached her to sell its Pegasus software. 
'They came to our police department to sell their machines. They demanded ₹ 25 crore for it, five years back. It came to me, I said no we don't want to buy such machines,' Mamata Banerjee said.
According to Banerjee, if the software were to be used for anti-national and security purposes, it was fine. 'But it is used for political reasons, it's used against officials and judges, which is not acceptable,' she added.
Her Pegasus claims come days after a BJP leader, Anirban Ganguly, alleged that Mamata Banerjee had been using the spyware since she came to power in 2016.
The chief minister has repeatedly targeted BJP-led Central government for allegedly using the Israeli spyware to target phones of journalists, politicians, activists, businessmen, and others. She has been demanding an all-party meeting over the issue.
A global consortium of media groups had revealed in July 2021 that the spyware, sold only to governments, had been used around the world to snoop on opponents, journalists, businessmen etc.
Phones of opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Supreme Court judges, ministers, and journalists were among the potential targets.
The Supreme Court is hearing a dozen petitions that allege the use of the spyware for surveillance. 
The government has strongly denied allegations that it bought Pegasus software for snooping.
Also Watch| Pegasus snooping row: all the top developments in 1 minute

Mamata Bannerjee: turned down Pegasus software offer, 'not acceptable' to use for political reasons

West Bengal CM said on Thursday that her state was approached 5 years ago to purchase the Pegasus software 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata&nbsp;Banerjee&nbsp;has said&nbsp;that nearly 5 years ago, NSO, the Israeli tech firm,&nbsp;had approached her to sell its Pegasus software.&nbsp;
Banerjee&nbsp;claimed that the tech firm approached West Bengal's police department, demanding&nbsp;₹25 crore&nbsp;for the software a few years ago.&nbsp;
Mamata&nbsp;said that she is of the opinion that using the software for anti-national and security purposes is fine but it is not acceptable that the software be used for political reasons.&nbsp; The chief minister has repeatedly targeted BJP-led Central government for allegedly using the Israeli spyware to target phones of journalists, politicians, activists, businessmen, and others. She has been demanding an all-party meeting over the issue.
A global consortium of media groups had revealed in July 2021 that the spyware,&nbsp;sold only to governments, had been used around the world to snoop on opponents, journalists, businessmen etc.
The Supreme Court is hearing a dozen petitions that allege the use of the spyware for surveillance.&nbsp;
The government has strongly denied allegations that it bought Pegasus software for snooping.

West Bengal CM said on Thursday that her state was approached 5 years ago to purchase the Pegasus software&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata&nbsp;Banerjee&nbsp;on Thursday stated that nearly 5 years ago, NSO, the Israeli tech firm,&nbsp;had approached her to sell its Pegasus software.&nbsp;
'They came to our police department to sell their machines. They demanded&nbsp;₹&nbsp;25 crore for it, five years back. It came to me, I said no we don't want to buy such machines,'&nbsp;Mamata Banerjee said.
According to Banerjee, if the software were to be used for anti-national and security purposes, it was fine. 'But it is used for political reasons, it's used against officials and judges, which is not acceptable,' she added.
Her Pegasus claims come days after a BJP leader, Anirban Ganguly, alleged that Mamata Banerjee had been using the spyware since she came to power in 2016.
The chief minister has repeatedly targeted BJP-led Central government for allegedly using the Israeli spyware to target phones of journalists, politicians, activists, businessmen, and others. She has been demanding an all-party meeting over the issue.
A global consortium of media groups had revealed in July 2021 that the spyware,&nbsp;sold only to governments, had been used around the world to snoop on opponents, journalists, businessmen etc.
Phones of opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Supreme Court judges, ministers, and journalists were among the potential targets.
The Supreme Court is hearing a dozen petitions that allege the use of the spyware for surveillance.&nbsp;
The government has strongly denied allegations that it bought Pegasus software for snooping.
Also Watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/pegasus-snooping-row-all-the-top-developments-in-1-minute-1635299668186" target="_blank">Pegasus snooping row: all the top developments in 1 minute</a>

Budget session: On Pegasus row, Modi govt says 'wait for SC order'
 

Budget session 2022: On Pegasus spyware row, Modi govt says 'wait for SC order' as Congress moves privilege motion

A recent New York Times article had claimed that in 2017, India had bought the Pegasus spyware from Israel as part of a $2 billion defence deal.

Budget session: On Pegasus row, Modi govt says 'wait for SC order'

With the Pegasus spyware controversy getting reignited as the Budget session begins, will the Parliament see stormy scenes once again? Union minister of parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi hinted that there was no need to raise the issue in Parliament until the Supreme Court announces a decision in the matter. He made the comments after an all-party meeting involving at least 25 parties. This came after Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury moved a Privilege motion against Union minister Ashwini Vaishaw over the Pegasus issue. A recent New York Times article had claimed that in 2017, India had bought the Pegasus spyware from Israel as part of a $2 billion defence deal. The Congress is now questioning Vaishnaw's statement in Parliament regarding the spyware. In 2021, an international investigative consortium had named many Indians as potential targets of the phone hacking and snooping software. Subsequently, Union Electronics and Information Technology minister Vaishnaw had told Parliament that the report was unsubstantiated and full of inconsistencies. When a petition was filed in the Supreme Court about the same, the top court had set up an expert panel to look into the allegations.
&nbsp;
 BYTE PRALHAD JOSHI, UNION MINISTER ANI RECORDED - 31 JAN 2022 - Encoder 1 17-50-24
(4:51 - 5:00) ANI RECORDED - 31 JAN 2022 - Encoder 1 17-55-24
(0:00 - 1:12) ANI RECORDED - 31 JAN 2022 - Encoder 1 17-50-24
(2:05 - 2:28, 3:10 - 3:19)
&nbsp;
TRANSLATION - Many parties have raised the Pegasus issue, but we specified in the BAC (Business Advisory Committee) meeting that the Supreme Court is investigating the matter after they approached the court. The SC has constituted a committee. Now, we should discuss Budget and President's speech, and points can be raised in that. When next part of the session is held from March 14, then maybe Supreme Court would have reached a decision.
REPORTER: Privilege motion has been moved against Ashwini Vaishnaw.
I haven't looked into that. Ashwini Vaishnaw placed facts in Parliament. The Speaker will verify the privilege motion, and decide.
REPORTER: Will the Opposition not disrupt the proceedings?
Yes, they have given assurance. We have told them that they can raise any issue. The Prime Minister himself would have to reply during discussion on Motion of Thanks on President's Address.
On behalf of the government, Rajnath Singh told the Opposition that first half of Budget session should see discussion on President's Address and the Budget. In that, all issues can be raised.
I hope, on behalf of the government, that Parliament will run smoothly in this session.

<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff;">A recent New York Times article had claimed that in 2017, India had bought the Pegasus spyware from Israel as part of a $2 billion defence deal.</div>

With the Pegasus spyware controversy getting reignited as the Budget session begins, will the Parliament see stormy scenes once again?
Union minister of parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi hinted that there was no need to raise the issue in Parliament until the Supreme Court announces a decision in the matter.&nbsp;He made the comments after an all-party meeting involving at least 25 parties.
ALSO WATCH | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/union-minister-vk-singh-slams-nyt-report-on-pegasus-spy-software-calls-it-supari-media-1643465883928" target="_blank">Union minister VK Singh slams NYT report on Pegasus spy software, calls it 'supari media'</a>
This came after Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury moved a Privilege motion against Union minister Ashwini Vaishaw over the Pegasus issue.
A recent New York Times article had claimed that in 2017, India had bought the Pegasus spyware from Israel as part of a $2 billion defence deal.
The Congress is now questioning Vaishnaw's statement in Parliament regarding the spyware.
In 2021, an international investigative consortium had named many Indians as potential targets of the phone hacking and snooping software.&nbsp;Subsequently, Union Electronics and Information Technology minister Vaishnaw had told Parliament that the report was unsubstantiated and full of inconsistencies.&nbsp;When a petition was filed in the Supreme Court about the same, the top court had set up an expert panel to look into the allegations.

PM Modi hails Israel ties amid Pegasus controversy
 

PM Modi hails Israel ties amid fresh Pegasus spyware controversy ignited by NYT article

PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett released special video messages on January 29 to mark the 30th anniversary of full diplomatic relations between the countries.

PM Modi hails Israel ties amid Pegasus controversy

((SHORT OPENING BYTES WITH TRANSLATION))
 NAFTALI BENNETT, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL https://twitter.com/naftalibennett/status/1487488214017454081
(0:05 - 0:09) TRANSLATION - India and Israel have a 'gehri dosti' (deep friendship).
 NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER, INDIA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwRoB-lggq0
(1:40 - 1:50) TRANSLATION - When the world is seeing significant transformation, the importance of India-Israel relations has increased.
&nbsp;
 VO: On the day that a New York Times article caused political uproar in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the country's relations with Israel. Both PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett released special video messages on January 29 to mark the 30th&nbsp;anniversary of full diplomatic relations between the countries. Meanwhile, India's Opposition parties attacked the Modi administration over an NYT report claiming that in 2017, the government had bought an Israeli spyware. The report said that NSO Group's Pegasus spyware was part of a defence deal worth US $2 billion signed between Delhi and Tel Aviv. The article had also mentioned PM Modi's trip to Israel in July 2017 - the first by any Indian PM to the country. Pegasus was in news last year when an international investigative consortium named many Indians as potential targets of the phone hacking and snooping software. Politicians, journalists, businessmen, and activists were reportedly named in the report. The government had dismissed the document as unsubstantiated. However, the Supreme Court had subsequently set up an expert panel to probe the issue.&nbsp; After the New York Times article, Union minister VK Singh called the publication 'supari media'. Supari is Hindi slang for a hired gun or mercenary.
&nbsp;
 BYTE NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER, INDIA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwRoB-lggq0
(0:00 - 0:09, 0:36 - 0:48, 1:05 - 1:28, 1:40 - 1:50) &nbsp;
 BYTE NAFTALI BENNETT, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL https://twitter.com/naftalibennett/status/1487488214017454081
 (0:00 - 0:53)

<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-weight: 400; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett released special video messages on January 29 to mark the 30th&nbsp;anniversary of full diplomatic relations between the countries.</div>

On the day that a New York Times article caused political uproar in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the country's relations with Israel.
Both PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett released special video messages on January 29 to mark the 30th&nbsp;anniversary of full diplomatic relations between the countries.
ALSO WATCH | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/union-minister-vk-singh-slams-nyt-report-on-pegasus-spy-software-calls-it-supari-media-1643465883928" target="_blank">Union minister VK Singh slams NYT report on Pegasus spy software, calls it 'supari media'</a>
Meanwhile, India's Opposition parties attacked the Modi administration over an NYT report claiming that in 2017, the government had bought an Israeli spyware.&nbsp;The report said that NSO Group's Pegasus spyware was part of a defence deal worth US $2 billion signed between Delhi and Tel Aviv.&nbsp;The article had also mentioned PM Modi's trip to Israel in July 2017 - the first by any Indian PM to the country.
Pegasus was in news last year when an international investigative consortium named many Indians as potential targets of the phone hacking and snooping software.&nbsp;Politicians, journalists, businessmen, and activists were reportedly named in the report.
The government had dismissed the document as unsubstantiated.&nbsp;However, the Supreme Court had subsequently set up an expert panel to probe the issue.
After the New York Times article, Union minister VK Singh called the publication 'supari media'. Supari is Hindi slang for a hired gun or mercenary.

Union minister General V K Singh on Saturday called The New York Times 'supari media' over its report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel.
The Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the 'centrepieces' of a roughly USD 2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017, according to the report in The New York Times.
Reacting to the report, VK Singh questioned NYT's credibility and asked if a news organisation that is known as 'supari media' can be trusted 
A massive controversy erupted last year when the NSO Group hit the headlines with the alleged use of its Pegasus software by some governments to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a number of countries, including India, triggered concerns over issues relating to privacy.
 

Union minister VK Singh slams NYT report on Pegasus spy software, calls it 'supari media'

Union minister General V K Singh on Saturday called The New York Times 'supari media' over its report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel.

Union minister's retort after NYT&nbsp;report on Pegasus spyware
Gen VK Singh: New York Times a 'supari&nbsp;media'
NYT&nbsp;report claimed that India bought Pegasus from Israel in 2017

The New York Times report claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel.

Union minister General V K Singh on Saturday called The New York Times 'supari&nbsp;media' over its report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel.
The Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the 'centrepieces' of a roughly USD 2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017, according to the report in The New York Times.
Reacting to the report, VK Singh&nbsp;questioned NYT's&nbsp;credibility and asked if a news organisation that is known as 'supari media' can be trusted.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/politics/india-bought-pegasus-spyware-in-2017-nyt-report-causes-fresh-storm-1643450288441" target="_blank">'India bought Pegasus spyware in 2017': NYT report causes fresh storm</a>
A massive controversy erupted last year when the NSO Group hit the headlines with the alleged use of its Pegasus software by some governments to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a number of countries, including India, triggered concerns over issues relating to privacy.
&nbsp;

'India bought Pegasus spyware in 2017': NYT report causes fresh storm
 

'India bought Pegasus spyware from Israel in 2017': New York Times report causes fresh storm; Congress attacks Modi govt

The NYT report also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 - the first by any Indian PM.

'India bought Pegasus spyware in 2017': NYT report causes fresh storm

Reigniting the Pegasus phone hacking and snooping controversy, a report in the New York&nbsp;Times has claimed that India bought the Israeli spyware in 2017. The report alleged that the spyware and a missile system were centrepieces of a deal worth US $ 2 billion finalised in 2017 between Delhi and Tel Aviv. The NYT report also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 - the first by any Indian PM. Pegasus was developed by Israeli company NSO which has reportedly said that the program is only sold to government agencies after vetting by Israeli authorities. A huge controversy broke out last year, after an international investigative consortium claimed that as many as 50,000 phones were potentially targeted via the spyware. Many Indian politicians, activists, journalists, and businessmen were also reportedly named in the document. After the Opposition raised the issue in Parliament, the Electronics and Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had made a statement. He had said that there was no substance behind the claims, and that the report was full of inconsistencies. Subsequently, the matter reached the Supreme Court which set up an expert committee to probe the allegations. The latest report has led to the Opposition Congress party again targeting the Modi government.
 BYTE RANDEEP SURJEWALA, CONGRESS LEADER
&nbsp;

<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-weight: 400; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff;">The NYT report also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 - the first by any Indian PM.</div>

Reigniting the Pegasus phone hacking and snooping controversy, a report in the New York&nbsp;Times has claimed that India bought the Israeli spyware in 2017.
The report alleged that the spyware and a missile system were centrepieces of a deal worth US $ 2 billion finalised in 2017 between Delhi and Tel Aviv.&nbsp;The NYT report also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 - the first by any Indian PM.
ALSO WATCH | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/pegasus-row-poland-s-most-powerful-leader-admits-buying-israeli-surveillance-software-1641552731125" target="_blank">Pegasus row: Poland's most powerful leader admits buying Israeli surveillance software</a>
Pegasus was developed by Israeli company NSO which has reportedly said that the program is only sold to government agencies after vetting by Israeli authorities.
A huge controversy broke out last year, after an international investigative consortium claimed that as many as 50,000 phones were potentially targeted via the spyware.&nbsp;Many Indian politicians, activists, journalists, and businessmen were also reportedly named in the document.
After the Opposition raised the issue in Parliament, the Electronics and Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had made a statement.&nbsp;He had said that there was no substance behind the claims, and that the report was full of inconsistencies.
Subsequently, the matter reached the Supreme Court which set up an expert committee to probe the allegations.
The latest report has led to the Opposition Congress party again targeting the Modi government. Rahul Gandhi accused the government of treason, claiming that Pegasus was bought to spy on democratic institutions, politicians, and the public.

The Supreme Court has stayed the ongoing inquiry by a West Bengal government appointed commission into the Pegasus snooping allegations. The panel is headed by former top court judge MB Lokur
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana expressed dissatisfaction over the West Bengal commission conducting a parallel inquiry. 
On October 27, it had ordered the setting up of a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for the surveillance of certain people under the monitoring of former apex court judge R V Raveendran,
The bench also took note of the plea that the Lokur commission had commenced work despite the assurance of the West Bengal government it would not proceed with the inquiry. 
Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the state government, said it had earlier conveyed the message of restraint to the Lokur panel but it does not control the commission. 

Pegasus snooping row: SC stays West Bengal’s Lokur panel probe

The Supreme Court has stayed the ongoing inquiry by a West Bengal government appointed commission into the Pegasus snooping allegations.

SC stays Bengal govt's&nbsp;Lokur&nbsp;panel's probe into Pegasus row
SC unhappy&nbsp;with Lokur&nbsp;panel conducting parallel inquiry
SC had formed a panel in October to probe the snooping allegations

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana expressed dissatisfaction over the West Bengal commission conducting a parallel inquiry.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court has stayed the ongoing inquiry by a West Bengal government appointed commission into&nbsp;the Pegasus snooping allegations. The panel is headed by former top court judge MB Lokur
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana expressed dissatisfaction over the West Bengal commission conducting a parallel inquiry.&nbsp;
On October 27, it had ordered the setting up of a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for the surveillance of certain people under the monitoring of former apex court judge R V Raveendran.&nbsp;
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/sc-orders-expert-panel-probe-into-the-pegasus-snooping-row-1635312580716">SC orders expert panel probe into the Pegasus snooping row</a>
The bench also&nbsp;took note of the plea that the Lokur commission had commenced work despite the assurance of the West Bengal government it would not proceed with the inquiry.&nbsp;
Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the state government, said it had earlier conveyed the message of restraint to the Lokur panel but it does not control the commission.&nbsp;

The Narendra Modi government has informed the Parliament that it has no plans to ban Israel’s NSO Group, which has been at the centre of a global controversy over the alleged misuse of its Pegasus spyware to tap phones of journalists, activists, and politicians.
The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology informed the Parliament on Friday that it had no information on whether the United States has blacklisted the NSO group.
There is also no proposal to ban the group in India, Minister of State for Information and Technology, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, said in response to a question by Samajwadi Party MPs Vishambhar Prasad Nishad and Chaudhary Sukhram Singh Yadav.Making clear that the State cannot get “a free pass every time the spectre of ‘national security’ is raised”, the Supreme Court in October ordered a “thorough inquiry” into allegations of unauthorised surveillance using the Pegasus spyware.
In November, the US Department of Commerce had blacklisted the two Israeli companies, the NSO group and Candiru which is considered its competitor in the cyber-surveillance market, adding them to the list of foreign establishments that engage in malicious cyber activities.

Pegasus snooping row: govt has no plans to ban NSO Group, Parliament told

Pegasus snooping row: Centre t has no plans to ban NSO Group
Govt's admission while answering questions in Parliament
No information if U.S. has blacklisted the NSO group: Centre
U.S. blacklisted Israeli spyware firms&nbsp;NSO group &amp; Candiru

The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology informed the Parliament on Friday that it had no information on whether the United States has blacklisted the NSO group.

The Narendra Modi government has informed the Parliament that it has no plans to ban Israel&rsquo;s NSO&nbsp;Group, which has been at the centre of a global controversy over the alleged misuse of its Pegasus spyware to tap phones of journalists, activists, and politicians.
The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology informed the Parliament on Friday that it had no information on whether the United States has blacklisted the NSO group.
Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/pegasus-snooping-scandal-apple-sues-israel-firm-for-targeting-users-1637721106111">Pegasus snooping scandal: Apple sues Israel firm for targeting users</a>
&nbsp;
There is also no proposal to ban the group in India, Minister of State for Information and Technology, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, said in response to a question by Samajwadi Party MPs Vishambhar Prasad Nishad and Chaudhary Sukhram Singh Yadav. Making clear that the State cannot get &ldquo;a free pass every time the spectre of &lsquo;national security&rsquo; is raised&rdquo;, the Supreme Court in October ordered a &ldquo;thorough inquiry&rdquo; into allegations of unauthorised surveillance using the Pegasus spyware.
In November, the US Department of Commerce had blacklisted the two Israeli companies, the NSO group and Candiru which is considered its competitor in the cyber-surveillance market, adding them to the list of foreign establishments that engage in malicious cyber activities.

Israel's NSO Group has been put on the US trade blacklist for selling spyware to foreign governments, according to a Reuters report.

Pegasus-maker NSO Group put on US trade blacklist: reports

Israel's NSO Group has been put on the US trade blacklist for selling spyware to foreign governments that used it to target government officials, journalists and activists, according to a Reuters report. 

Israel's NSO Group has been put on the US trade blacklist for selling spyware to foreign governments that used it to target government officials, journalists and activists, according to a Reuters report. NSO Group is infamous for having developed the Pegasus spyware, that was allegedly used to spy on Indian journalists, activists and other key public figures.
NSO Group and others will be restricted from receiving exports from US counterparts, and makes it harder for security researchers in the US to sell them information about computer vulnerabilities, among other things.
It's worth noting that the NSO Group has previously been accused of selling hacking tools to authoritarian regimes. NSO, however, claims that it only sells its products to law enforcement and intelligence agencies and takes necessary steps to curb abuse. &nbsp; NSO Group put on US trade blacklist for selling spyware: reports Blacklisted firms will be restricted from doing business with US firms NSO claims to sell products only to law enforcement, intelligence agencies

Israel's NSO Group has been put on the US trade blacklist for selling spyware to foreign governments that used it to target government officials, journalists and activists, according to a Reuters report.

Israel's NSO Group has been put on the US trade blacklist for selling spyware to foreign governments that used it to target government officials, journalists and activists, according to a Reuters report. NSO Group is infamous for having developed the Pegasus spyware, that was allegedly used to spy on Indian journalists, activists and other key public figures.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.editorji.com/story/explained-what-is-pegasus-spyware-how-it-works-should-you-worry-1626694490805" target="_blank">Explained: What is Pegasus spyware, how it works, should you worry?</a>
The US Commerce Department has also added Candiru, Positive Technologies of Russia and Computer Security Initiative Consultancy PTE LTD to the list, stating that the firms had trafficked in cyber tools used to gain unauthorized access to computer networks.
NSO Group and others will be restricted from receiving exports from US counterparts, and makes it harder for security researchers in the US to sell them information about computer vulnerabilities, among other things. Moreover, suppliers will need to apply for a license before selling to the blacklisted firms, which will likely be denied.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/how-phones-get-hacked-and-how-you-can-stay-safe-1635523158909" target="_blank">How phones get hacked (and how you can stay safe)</a>
It's worth noting that the NSO Group and Candiru have previously been accused of selling hacking tools to authoritarian regimes. NSO, however, claims that it only sells its products to law enforcement and intelligence agencies and takes necessary steps to curb abuse.
In response to the trade blacklist, an NSO spokesperson was reported as saying that the company was "dismayed" by the decision, and will advocate for its reversal.

In the times we live in, it’s important to remember that your data is never truly safe, but there are things you can do to protect yourself.

How phones get hacked (and how you can stay safe)

In the times we live in, it’s important to remember that your data is never truly safe. In the days of zero-click and zero-day attacks, theoretically it is always possible that someone could hack into your phone without you knowing. But what you can do is lower the chances of this happening, and make sure that you’re as safe online as you can be. Watch this editorji video to find out the best ways to stay safe online.

Apple prides itself on its security, and promises on its website that the iPhone&rsquo;s built-in security features help prevent anyone but the user from accessing the data on the phone.
On September 14, Apple launched the iPhone 13. Around 5 weeks after this launch, two separate hacker teams at a Chinese hackathon event broke into the iPhone 13 Pro, running the latest iOS 15.0.2. One of the teams had complete control of the phone&rsquo;s systems in literally one second.&nbsp;
 Now, fortunately, this was an entirely legal and above-board event, and these teams will be in touch with Apple to explain how they found these exploits, which should be patched by the next iOS update.
 In fact, most big tech companies like Apple and Google have their own &lsquo;bug bounty&rsquo; programs where they hand out cash prizes for developers who can point out exploits to the company, without publicly disclosing this information.
 However, this does prove that it is at least technically possible to hack into what is considered the most secure smartphone, through a method that doesn&rsquo;t involve much fault on the user&rsquo;s part.
 title: How Phones Get Hacked​
 There are, broadly, two kinds of hackers - white hat and black hat. While black hat hackers try and break into servers, computers, and phones for malicious reasons, like stealing data, or extorting money, white hat hackers are different.
 Black hat hackers don't need to attend hackathons to try and find ways to break into computers and phones for nefarious purposes. They can do it from any remote location in the world, and their activities are usually aimed at extorting money from an organisation or individual, but can also be used for spying.
 Earlier this year, a group of news organisations across the globe published information that a spyware called Pegasus, developed by Israeli agency NSO, was used to spy on politicians, journalists, and activists across the globe. Pegasus was a zero-click hack, meaning that it could infect a phone and have complete access to all device systems, including seeing all files, being able to read anything the user types, and being able to access the camera and microphone feeds at all times. It worked across the latest Android and iOS devices.
 Now, spyware like Pegasus is extremely expensive to obtain, partly because it is so rare. This means that it still remains highly unlikely that your phone in particular has been infected by spyware which is this advanced. But it remains theoretically possible.
 So, how can you keep yourself safe from hacks like these? How do you make sure you&rsquo;re not hacked?
 Well, you really can&rsquo;t. When an exploit is found, depending on the intentions of the hacker who found it, it is usually relayed to the tech company, who issue a fix. If this exploit is a zero-click, like Pegasus was, it does not require you to do anything wrong in order to infect your phone. So there&rsquo;s really nothing you can do right, to prevent this sort of thing.
 But there are still a lot of steps you can take to be more secure online, with more common forms of spyware and malware, so let&rsquo;s go through those. Firstly, always keep all your devices updated to the latest available software, including your phone and your laptop or desktop computer. I know frequent updates are annoying, but it&rsquo;s important to always be running the newest software. If a fix for attacks like Pegasus is released, it can only be downloaded to your phone through a system update. So, if you see that an update is available, don&rsquo;t wait, do it now.
 It is possible to protect yourself from less advanced attacks through your own diligence. Be careful and second guess everything you see on the internet, or get in an e-mail or text message. If you get a text offering you the latest WhatsApp gold version with extra features, or an e-mail saying that a long-lost relative has died and left you millions in inheritance, don&rsquo;t believe it immediately. If a claim sounds too good to be true, it often is. It&rsquo;s always best to google offers and claims like this to see if they are spyware, or check if the sender is confirmed to be an organisation or someone impersonating them.
 Another very important step is to make sure you don&rsquo;t use the same password for everything. It&rsquo;s really hard to remember lots of different passwords, but re-using the same password means that if one of your accounts gets hacked, you also lose access to all other accounts and services. Using a unique password for every separate account you have can be tedious, but it&rsquo;s an absolute must if you want to be more secure, and safeguard yourself from attacks. You can also use a password manager app to help you remember different passwords.
 In the times we live in, it&rsquo;s important to remember that your data is never truly safe. In the days of zero-click and zero-day attacks, theoretically it is always possible that someone could hack into your phone without you knowing. But what you can do is lower the chances of this happening, and make sure that you&rsquo;re as safe online as you can be.

<div data-pm-slice="1 1 []" data-en-clipboard="true">In the times we live in, it&rsquo;s important to remember that your data is never truly safe, but there are things you can do to protect yourself. Watch this editorji video to find out the best ways to stay safe online.</div>

Apple prides itself on its security, and promises on its website that the iPhone&rsquo;s built-in security features help prevent anyone but the user from accessing the data on the phone.
On September 14, Apple launched the iPhone 13. Around 5 weeks after this launch, two separate hacker teams at a Chinese hackathon event broke into the iPhone 13 Pro, running the latest iOS 15.0.2. One of the teams had complete control of the phone&rsquo;s systems in literally one second.&nbsp;
Now, fortunately, this was an entirely legal and above-board event, and these teams will be in touch with Apple to explain how they found these exploits, which should be patched by the next iOS update.
In fact, most big tech companies like Apple and Google have their own &lsquo;bug bounty&rsquo; programs where they hand out cash prizes for developers who can point out exploits to the company, without publicly disclosing this information.
However, this does prove that it is at least technically possible to hack into what is considered the most secure smartphone, through a method that doesn&rsquo;t involve much fault on the user&rsquo;s part.
What kinds of hackers are there?
There are, broadly, two kinds of hackers - white hat and black hat. While black hat hackers try and break into servers, computers, and phones for malicious reasons, like stealing data, or extorting money, white hat hackers are different.
Black hat hackers don't need to attend hackathons to try and find ways to break into computers and phones for nefarious purposes. They can do it from any remote location in the world, and their activities are usually aimed at extorting money from an organisation or individual, but can also be used for spying.
Earlier this year, a group of news organisations across the globe published information that a spyware called <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/explained-what-is-pegasus-spyware-how-it-works-should-you-worry-1626694490805" target="_blank">Pegasus</a>, developed by Israeli agency NSO, was used to spy on politicians, journalists, and activists across the globe. Pegasus was a zero-click hack, meaning that it could infect a phone and have complete access to all device systems, including seeing all files, being able to read anything the user types, and being able to access the camera and microphone feeds at all times. It worked across the latest Android and iOS devices.
Now, spyware like Pegasus is extremely expensive to obtain, partly because it is so rare. This means that it still remains highly unlikely that your phone in particular has been infected by spyware which is this advanced. But it remains theoretically possible.
So, how can you keep yourself safe from hacks like these? How do you make sure you&rsquo;re not hacked?
Well, you really can&rsquo;t. When an exploit is found, depending on the intentions of the hacker who found it, it is usually relayed to the tech company, who issue a fix. If this exploit is a zero-click, like Pegasus was, it does not require you to do anything wrong in order to infect your phone. So there&rsquo;s really nothing you can do right, to prevent this sort of thing.
But there are still a lot of steps you can take to be more secure online, with more common forms of spyware and malware, so let&rsquo;s go through those.
How to stay safe online
Firstly, always keep all your devices updated to the latest available software, including your phone and your laptop or desktop computer. I know frequent updates are annoying, but it&rsquo;s important to always be running the newest software. If a <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/apple-releases-ios-14-8-macos-11-6-to-fix-pegasus-spyware-flaw-1631613544530" target="_blank">fix for attacks like Pegasus is released</a>, it can only be downloaded to your phone through a system update. So, if you see that an update is available, don&rsquo;t wait, do it now.
It is possible to protect yourself from less advanced attacks through your own diligence. Be careful and second guess everything you see on the internet, or get in an e-mail or text message. If you get a text offering you the latest WhatsApp gold version with extra features, or an e-mail saying that a long-lost relative has died and left you millions in inheritance, don&rsquo;t believe it immediately. If a claim sounds too good to be true, it often is. It&rsquo;s always best to google offers and claims like this to see if they are spyware, or check if the sender is confirmed to be an organisation or someone impersonating them.
Another very important step is to make sure you don&rsquo;t use the same password for everything. It&rsquo;s really hard to remember lots of different passwords, but re-using the same password means that if one of your accounts gets hacked, you also lose access to all other accounts and services. Using a unique password for every separate account you have can be tedious, but it&rsquo;s an absolute must if you want to be more secure, and safeguard yourself from attacks. You can also use a password manager app to help you remember different passwords.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/explained-what-is-pegasus-spyware-how-it-works-should-you-worry-1626694490805" target="_blank">Explained: What is Pegasus spyware, how it works, should you worry?</a>
In the times we live in, it&rsquo;s important to remember that your data is never truly safe. In the days of zero-click and zero-day attacks, theoretically it is always possible that someone could hack into your phone without you knowing. But what you can do is lower the chances of this happening, and make sure that you&rsquo;re as safe online as you can be.

Pegasus snooping attempt to 'crush' Indian democracy: Rahul Gandhi in press conference.&nbsp;

Either PM or Home Minister ordered Pegasus snooping: Rahul Gandhi on SC probe

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah after SC ordered an independent probe into Pegasus snooping row. Here are key takeaways from his press conference.

Pegasus snooping attempt to 'crush' Indian democracy: Rahul Gandhi

Pegasus snooping attempt to 'crush' Indian democracy: Rahul Gandhi in press conference.&nbsp;

Rahul&nbsp; welcomed that the Supreme Court formed a panel to look into the allegations of Pegasus spyware. He also said that the product was either bought by the Prime Minister or the Union home minister.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah after SC ordered an independent probe into Pegasus snooping row.&nbsp;
Rahul Gandhi also claimed that the government in Karnataka was toppled using Pegasus. &ldquo;This is a deeper problem. It is one thing if you are using Pegasus for tackling terrorism or national security. That is completely a different issue but if the Prime Minister is using it as a personal tool and the data is arriving on the PM's desk, then that is totally criminal,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/news-guru-pegasus-project-the-politics-of-surveillance-1627050711354">Also Watch:&nbsp;News Guru | Pegasus Project &amp; the politics of surveillance</a>
At a press conference here, Gandhi alleged that only the prime minister or the home minister could have ordered the use of Pegasus spyware.
During the last Parliament session, the Opposition had jointly taken up the issue and had stalled proceedings demanding a probe, he recalled.
"We were asking three basic questions -- who authorised Pegasus, which agency, which person authorised Pegasus as we all know Pegasus cannot be bought by a private individual, it has to be bought by a government; second question was who was it used against; final thing was, did any other country have access to information of our people," the former Congress chief said.
Asserting that alleged snooping using Pegasus is an "attempt to crush Indian democracy", Gandhi said it is a "big step that the Supreme Court has said that they are going to look into this matter. I am confident that we will get the truth out of this".
"We are quite happy that the Supreme Court has accepted to look into this. There is the institution of Parliament where we will raise this again and we will try to have a debate in Parliament. I am sure the BJP will not like that debate so they will make sure that debate is stalled but we will try to hold that debate," he said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of "national security by State" does not render the court a "mute spectator".
Finding material that "prima facie merits consideration", a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli declined the Centre's plea to appoint an expert panel on its own, saying such a course would violate settled judicial principle against bias.

In an important ruling in the Pegasus snooping scandal, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a 3-member expert committee to probe the spying allegations.
The three-member committee will be headed by RV Raveendran, former Supreme Court Judge. Other members will be Alok Joshi and Sandeep Oberoi.
The Allegations of snooping using the Pegasus software are about fundamental rights and "could have a chilling effect", the Supreme Court said.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the Centre's response, the top court said that it gave ample opportunity to the Centre to assist the court and respond to the allegation but the Centre's limited affidavit did not shed any light on the issue.
"We issued notice to the government. We gave ample opportunity to the government to give details of all action taken by it. But despite repeated chances, they gave a limited affidavit that does not give clarity. If they had clarified they would have reduced the burden on us. But that does not mean state gets a free pass every time national security is raised," the Supreme Court said.
In a strongly worded ruling, the court said that the government cannot be given a free pass by raising national security issue and the court cannot remain a mute spectator when there is serious allegation of violation of citizens' right.
"The nature of the allegations is about fundamental rights being violated. This could have a chilling effect. There are also allegations of foreign agencies being involved, which must be probed,? the SC said.
Some journalists and politicians had moved the top court seeking an independent probe into the allegations that Pegasus software was used to snoop on politicians, judges, activists and govt officials.

SC orders expert panel probe into the Pegasus snooping row

SC orders expert panel probe into the Pegasus snooping row
The probe will be monitored by the Supreme Court
Panel formed to probe the falsity and discover the truth: SC

VO: In an important ruling in the Pegasus snooping scandal, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a 3-member expert committee to probe the spying allegations.
VO: The Allegations of snooping using the Pegasus software are about fundamental rights and "could have a chilling effect", the Supreme Court said.
((GFX IN))
TEXT: There has been no specific denial of snooping allegations by Centre: SC
VO: Expressing dissatisfaction over the Centre's response, the top court said that there has been no specific denial of the snooping allegations by the govt.
TEXT: SC: Despite repeated chances, Centre gave limited affidavit that does not give clarity
VO: It also observed that despite giving ample opportunity to respond the Centre's limited affidavit does not shed any light on the issue.
TEXT: SC: No option but to appoint a committee to discover the truth
VO: The court said it has no option but to appoint a committee to discover the truth about the charges.
TEXT: SC: State cannot get a free pass every time national security is raised
VO: In a strongly worded ruling, the court said that the government cannot be given a free pass by raising national security issue&hellip;
TEXT: Supreme Court: Right to Privacy violation needs to be examined
and the court cannot remain a mute spectator when there is serious allegation of violation of citizens' right.
TEXT: SC: There is serious concern of foreign agency involvement by surveilling Indians
The Supreme Court also noted that there are allegations of foreign agencies being involved, which must be probed.
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SC orders expert panel probe into the Pegasus snooping row

In an important ruling in the Pegasus snooping scandal, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a 3-member expert committee to probe the spying allegations.
The three-member committee will be headed by RV Raveendran, former Supreme Court Judge. Other members will be Alok Joshi and Sandeep Oberoi.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/pegasus-snooping-row-all-the-top-developments-in-1-minute-1635299668186">Pegasus snooping row: all the top developments in 1 minute</a>
The Allegations of snooping using the Pegasus software are about fundamental rights and "could have a chilling effect", the Supreme Court said.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the Centre's response, the top court said that it gave ample opportunity to the Centre to assist the court and respond to the allegation but the Centre's limited affidavit did not shed any light on the issue.
"We issued notice to the government. We gave ample opportunity to the government to give details of all action taken by it. But despite repeated chances, they gave a limited affidavit that does not give clarity. If they had clarified they would have reduced the burden on us. But that does not mean state gets a free pass every time national security is raised," the Supreme Court said.
In a strongly worded ruling, the court said that the government cannot be given a free pass by raising national security issue and the court cannot remain a mute spectator when there is serious allegation of violation of citizens' right.
"The nature of the allegations is about fundamental rights being violated. This could have a chilling effect. There are also allegations of foreign agencies being involved, which must be probed,? the SC said.
Some journalists and politicians had moved the top court seeking an independent probe into the allegations that Pegasus software was used to snoop on politicians, judges, activists and govt officials.

Pegasus Snooping Row: The Supreme Court is set to pronounce its order on pleas seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus snooping scandal.

Pegasus snooping row: all the top developments in 1 minute

The Supreme Court is set to pronounce its order on pleas seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus snooping scandal. Here's a timeline of the case so far

The Supreme Court is set to pronounce its order on pleas seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus snooping scandal. Here's a timeline of the case so far:
July 18: News reports emerged alleging Pegasus software was used to spy on politicians, activists, journalists and judges
 Report created a political furore as it came out just a day before the start of Monsoon Session of Parliament
 Entire Monsoon Session washed out as opposition attacked govt over snooping scandal
 Govt rubbished opposition charges on charges, questioned timing of the report
 Congress accused the government of "treason" and compromising on national security
 Opposition demanded Home Minister's resignation, sought to know if govt purchased Pegasus
 Home minister Amit Shah called it "a report by disrupters for the obstructers", timed to disrupt Parliament
 Some veteran journalists and politicians moved Supreme Court seeking an independent probe
 Supreme Court during the first hearing: "Allegations in reports serious if true"
 Citing national security, the Centre refused to file a detailed affidavit in the matter
 Sept 13: SC reserved its order after govt expressed reservation over filing a detailed affidavit
 Sept 23: Court indicated the formation of a committee to examine allegations
 SC made it clear that there would be no more &ldquo;beating around the bush&rdquo; on the issue
 SC: Gave government fair opportunity to file affidavit, we will now pass order

A brief timeline of the Pegasus snooping&nbsp;scandal

The Supreme Court is set to pronounce its order on pleas seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus snooping scandal.
Here's a timeline of the case so far:
July 18: News reports emerged alleging Pegasus software was used to spy on politicians, activists, journalists and judges
 Report created a political furore as it came out just a day before the start of Monsoon Session of Parliament
 Entire Monsoon Session washed out as opposition attacked govt over snooping scandal
Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/pegasus-snooping-row-sc-verdict-today-on-pleas-seeking-independent-probe-1635302573704" target="_blank">Pegasus snooping row: SC verdict today on pleas seeking independent probe</a> &nbsp; Govt rubbished opposition charges on charges, questioned timing of the report
 Congress accused the government of "treason" and compromising on national security
 Opposition demanded Home Minister's resignation, sought to know if govt purchased Pegasus
 Home minister Amit Shah called it "a report by disrupters for the obstructers", timed to disrupt Parliament
 Some veteran journalists and politicians moved Supreme Court seeking an independent probe
 Supreme Court during the first hearing: "Allegations in reports serious if true"
 Citing national security, the Centre refused to file a detailed affidavit in the matter
 Sept 13: SC reserved its order after govt expressed reservation over filing a detailed affidavit
 Sept 23: Court indicated the formation of a committee to examine allegations
 SC made it clear that there would be no more &ldquo;beating around the bush&rdquo; on the issue
 SC: Gave government fair opportunity to file affidavit, we will now pass order

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said on Thursday that the Supreme Court will set up an expert committee to inquire into alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for mounting surveillance on Indian citizens.
The CJI heads the bench which is looking at a clutch of petitions that have demanded a court-monitored investigation into alleged use of Pegasus spyware for unlawful snooping.
Justice Ramana informed senior advocate CU Singh about constitution of a committee during the hearing of an unconnected matter. Singh represents one of the petitioners in the bouquet of cases on Pegasus. &ldquo;Please tell other lawyers too that we will pass our order next week,&rdquo; the CJI told Singh.
The court had, on September 13, reserved its order in the case after the Union government declined to make public whether its agencies used the Israeli software.
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SC to set up an expert panel to inquire into Pegasus row, order next week

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said on Thursday that the Supreme Court will set up an expert committee to inquire into alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for mounting surveillance on Indian citizens.

The CJI heads the bench which is looking at a clutch of petitions that have demanded a court-monitored investigation into alleged use of Pegasus spyware for unlawful snooping.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said on Thursday that the Supreme Court will set up an expert committee to inquire into alleged use of <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/pegasus-row-defence-ministry-says-no-transactions-with-israeli-firm-1628511317394">Israeli spyware Pegasus</a> for mounting surveillance on Indian citizens.
The CJI heads the bench which is looking at a clutch of petitions that have demanded a court-monitored investigation into alleged use of<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/allegations-serious-if-reports-are-true-supreme-court-on-pegasus-row-1628149339313"> Pegasus spyware for unlawful snooping.</a>
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/news-guru-pegasus-project-the-politics-of-surveillance-1627050711354">Justice Ramana</a> informed senior advocate CU Singh about constitution of a committee during the hearing of an unconnected matter. Singh represents one of the petitioners in the bouquet of cases on Pegasus. &ldquo;Please tell other lawyers too that we will pass our order next week,&rdquo; the CJI told Singh.
The court had, on September 13, reserved its order in the case after the Union government declined to make public whether its agencies used the Israeli software.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/news-guru-pegasus-project-the-politics-of-surveillance-1627050711354" target="_blank">ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;News Guru | Pegasus Project &amp; the politics of surveillance</a>

The Supreme Court on Monday will pass an interim order as early as this week on petitions seeking probe into Pegasus surveillance scandal as the government refused to file a detailed affidavit.&nbsp;Solicitor General Tushar Mehta&nbsp;citing national security stated to the apex court&nbsp; that the govt "... cannot file affidavits on Pegasus (as it) will affect national security... We cannot let terrorists know what software are being used." The centre had sought time twice to prepare for this affidavit that now will not be furnished.&nbsp;Making an observation on the lack of the affidavit the Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI)&nbsp;NV Ramana&nbsp;and Justices&nbsp;Surya Kant&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hima Kohli&nbsp;stated to the govt "You have repeatedly been saying that you don't want to put anything in affidavit. We also don't want security issues to be put here. Presumably a committee has been formed and then the report will be submitted here. Now we have to look into whole issue and decide something. Mr Mehta beating around the issue is not the question here. Let us see what to do.The court reserved interim orders and said it would announce them in 2-3 days, saying the government could approach the court before then if it changed its mind on filing an affidavit.
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Pegasus row: Supreme Court to pass order as Govt refuses to file detailed affidavit

Pegasus row: Supreme Court to pass order as Govt refuses to file detailed affidavit. Apex court gets stern with govt.&nbsp;

<ul>
<li>Supreme Court to pass interim order seeking probe into the Pegasus row&nbsp;</li>
<li>Govt refuses to file detailed affidavit citing national security concerns&nbsp;</li>
<li>Govt counsel says:&nbsp;We cannot let terrorists know what software are being used</li>
<li>CJI&nbsp;Bench observed: Want to know if&nbsp;software was used to snoop on certain citizens&nbsp;</li>
<li>Supreme Court to pass interim order within 2-3 days, gives govt more time to file affidavit.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

"Which software was used and which software not used cannot be on affidavit" Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.

The Supreme Court on Monday will pass an interim order as early as this week on petitions seeking probe into Pegasus surveillance scandal as the government refused to file a detailed affidavit.&nbsp; Solicitor General Tushar Mehta&nbsp;citing national security stated to the apex court&nbsp; that the govt "... cannot file affidavits on Pegasus (as it) will affect national security... We cannot let terrorists know what software are being used." The centre had sought time twice to prepare for this affidavit that now will not be furnished.&nbsp; Making an observation on the lack of the affidavit the Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI)&nbsp;NV Ramana&nbsp;and Justices&nbsp;Surya Kant&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hima Kohli&nbsp;stated to the govt "You have repeatedly been saying that you don't want to put anything in affidavit. We also don't want security issues to be put here. Presumably a committee has been formed and then the report will be submitted here. Now we have to look into whole issue and decide something. Mr Mehta beating around the issue is not the question here. Let us see what to do. The court reserved interim orders and said it would announce them in 2-3 days, saying the government could approach the court before then if it changed its mind on filing an affidavit.
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Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday suspended six TMC MPs for the day for carrying placards with anti-govt slogans while protesting along with other opposition MPs over the Pegasus spying issue.
He first asked members to go back to their seats and then warned them that they would be suspended from the House.&nbsp;As the members refused to budge, he ordered that those "disobeying the chair and raising placards shall leave the House under rule 255." The Rajya&nbsp;Sabha&nbsp;Chairman, however, did not name anyone and said Rajya Sabha Secretariat will give the list.
The 6 TMC&nbsp;MPs&nbsp;who were named by the Secretariat are&nbsp;Dola Sen, Md. Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh and Mausam Noor.

Pegasus row: 6 TMC MPs suspended from Rajya Sabha for a day for showing placards

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday suspended six TMC MPs for the day for carrying placards with anti-govt slogans while protesting over the Pegasus spying issue.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday suspended six TMC MPs for the day for carrying placards with anti-govt slogans while protesting along with other opposition MPs over the Pegasus spying issue.
He first asked members to go back to their seats and then warned them that they would be suspended from the House.&nbsp;As the members refused to budge, he ordered that those "disobeying the chair and raising placards shall leave the House under rule 255." The Rajya&nbsp;Sabha&nbsp;Chairman, however, did not name anyone and said Rajya Sabha Secretariat will give the list.
The 6 TMC&nbsp;MPs&nbsp;who were named by the Secretariat are&nbsp;Dola Sen, Md. Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh and Mausam Noor.

TMC and other opposition MPs trooped into the well of the House, some holding placards, to demand a discussion on Pegasus spyware allegedly being used to snoop on opposition leaders, government critics and journalists.

pegasus

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