Amnesty International Uncovers Pegasus Spyware Attacks on Serbian Journalists

Amnesty International recently unveiled a report highlighting attempted cyberattacks on two Serbian journalists using Pegasus spyware, developed by NSO Group. These journalists, affiliated with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), were targeted through phishing attacks involving suspicious text messages containing links. Amnesty's researchers, upon safely examining these links, identified them as part of NSO Group's infrastructure, underscoring the persistent threat posed by such spyware.

Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, head of Amnesty’s Security Lab, emphasized the organization's ongoing efforts to track and expose the misuse of Pegasus spyware against journalists and activists. This technical research has been pivotal in identifying malicious websites used to deploy the spyware. The ability to quickly recognize domains associated with NSO Group's activities reflects the growing expertise among cybersecurity researchers in identifying such threats.

Despite NSO Group's attempts to operate covertly, experts like John Scott-Railton from The Citizen Lab highlight the company's struggle to remain hidden. The Citizen Lab, a human rights organization, has been documenting spyware abuses since 2012. Their research, along with that of Amnesty and Access Now, has identified over 130 individuals globally targeted by Pegasus spyware.

The Pegasus Project, a journalistic initiative, further exposed the scale of NSO Group's operations by investigating a leaked list of over 50,000 phone numbers allegedly targeted by the spyware. This extensive investigation has led to the identification of numerous victims, independent of the leaked list.

NSO Group's challenges are compounded by companies like Apple, which actively notify victims of spyware attacks, prompting them to seek assistance from organizations like Amnesty, Citizen Lab, and Access Now. These notifications have resulted in more technical reports documenting spyware attacks, not only by Pegasus but also by other similar tools.

The core issue for NSO Group appears to be its clientele, as it continues to sell spyware to countries that indiscriminately target journalists and civil society members. This operational security oversight exposes the company and its customers to increased scrutiny and detection.

QuarkyByte stands at the forefront of cybersecurity insights, offering solutions that empower organizations to safeguard against such threats. By leveraging our expertise, businesses and governments can enhance their security measures, ensuring the protection of sensitive information and upholding the integrity of civil society.