Security News > 2021 > December > American diplomats' iPhones reportedly compromised by NSO Group intrusion software

The Apple iPhones of at least nine US State Department officials were compromised by an unidentified entity using NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, according to a report published Friday by Reuters.

NSO Group in an email to The Register said it has blocked an unnamed customers' access to its system upon receiving an inquiry about the incident but has yet to confirm whether its software was involved.

"Once the inquiry was received, and before any investigation under our compliance policy, we have decided to immediately terminate relevant customers' access to the system, due to the severity of the allegations," an NSO spokesperson told The Register in an email.

"Once the software is sold to the licensed customer, NSO has no way to know who the targets of the customers are, as such, we were not and could not have been aware of this case."

The report said the findings undermined NSO Group's claims that its software was only licensed for fighting terrorists and for law enforcement.

NSO Group maintains that it has turned away $300m in revenue to date based on unresolved human rights concerns and that, between May 2020 and April 2021, it rejected 15 per cent of new business opportunities for the same reason.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/12/04/american_diplomats_nso/