An international media consortium last week began publishing reports based on what is believed to be a leaked list of 50,000 phone numbers worldwide that were targeted by NSO’s customers for surveillance. Evidence of the Pegasus spyware was found on 37 of 67 phones examined by forensic experts, including in India.

 

Journalists, businesspeople, critics of the government and politicians were among those allegedly targeted in India. NSO says its software is sold only to government customers after vetting by Israeli authorities. The Indian government has denied all wrongdoing and has also not confirmed or denied acquiring the Pegasus spyware.

 

The Israel government has faced pressure because it regulates the sale of all spyware technology to other countries.

 

According to NPR, NSO says it has 60 customers in 40 countries, all of them intelligence agencies, law enforcement bodies and militaries. NSO also says that in recent years, before the media reports on the Pegasus spyware, it blocked its software from five governmental agencies, including two in the past year, after finding evidence of misuse.