Spyware can help track hostages

[phkrause]

Illustration: Trent Joaquin/Axios

The Israeli government appears to be turning to controversial spyware maker NSO Group to help track citizens kidnapped and murdered by Hamas, a source with direct knowledge of NSO's operations tells Axios cybersecurity reporter Sam Sabin. According to the source, several Israeli agencies are likely using Pegasus — a "zero-click" malware that can be snuck onto a target's device without them knowing — to help track people kidnapped by Hamas, as well as people who went missing during Hamas' terrorist attack last month. How it works: Pegasus can be used to tap into cell phone signals to assess who was on the ground during Hamas' surprise attack, and movement of those cell signals before and after the attack, said the source, who requested anonymity to speak freely about sensitive operations. NSO has established a war room with other companies and former NSO employees to track and unlock the phones belonging to people who have been murdered or gone missing, as well as those belonging to suspected terrorists. 🖼️ The big picture: NSO has come under fire for providing governments with surveillance technology that they have later used to spy on journalists, dissidents and human rights activists. NSO has begun a lobbying campaign in the U.S. to get its technology removed from a new list banning federal agencies from using its spyware, as well as a U.S. trade blacklist. 🧠 Reality check: The source said they don't know whether the Israeli government has safeguards in place to ensure the technology won't be used for broad surveillance of the entire Palestinian population. Recent reports suggest that Pegasus has been used to spy on Palestinian human rights activists as recently as 2021. Go deeper: Bloomberg on Israel and Pegasus.