Security News > 2020 > December > iPhones of 36 Journalists Hacked Using iMessage Zero-Click Exploit
Three dozen journalists working for Al Jazeera had their iPhones stealthily compromised via a zero-click exploit to install spyware as part of a Middle East cyberespionage campaign.
In a new report published yesterday by University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, researchers said personal phones of 36 journalists, producers, anchors, and executives at Al Jazeera, and a journalist at London-based Al Araby TV were infected with Pegasus malware via a now-fixed flaw in Apple's iMessage.
The findings came to light after one of the victims, Al Jazeera investigative journalist Tamer Almisshal, suspected his iPhone may have been hacked and consented to have his network traffic monitored by Citizen Lab researchers using a VPN app earlier this January.
Citizen Lab said the 36 phones in question were hacked by four distinct "Clusters" or NSO operators with probable ties to the Saudi and the United Arab Emirates governments.
The implant comes with the capabilities to record audio from microphone and phone calls, take photos using the phone's camera, access the victim's passwords, and track the device's location.