BEIRUT: Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday that a senior staff member was targeted last year with spyware designed by Israeli hacker-for-hire company NSO Group.
The New York-based rights group said the software was used against Lama Fakih, director of the Beirut office, which oversees its crisis response in Syria, Myanmar, Israel and several countries including the Palestinian Territories, Ethiopia, Afghanistan and the United States. State.
The NSO group has been embroiled in controversy after revelations of its spyware being used against journalists, activists and even US diplomats in several countries. The US last year blocked the firm from accessing US technology, saying its equipment had been used by repressive regimes, and Facebook and Apple have filed lawsuits against NSO over hacks against their products.
NSO Group does not disclose its customers, but says it has security measures in place to ensure that its products are only used to target suspected criminals and terrorists. It says it does not have access to the intelligence that its customers gather.
Its Pegasus spyware provides full access to a person’s phone, including photos, emails, and real-time communications. The target person is not required to take any action, such as clicking on a link, and would not be able to detect the breach without sophisticated technical analysis.
The NSO Group issued a statement expressing support for an “international regulatory framework” for cyber intelligence tools, but said any call to suspend their use until one is established would benefit criminals who use other forms of surveillance. Avoid forms. It did not directly address the hacking reported by Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch said Faqih, a dual American and Lebanese national, was targeted on five occasions between April and August. Apple reported the breach to it on November 24, and forensic analysis by Human Rights Watch confirmed the presence of the software, the group said.
“It is no coincidence that governments are using spyware to target activists and journalists, exposing their abusive behavior,” Fakih said. “They feel that by doing so, they can consolidate power, suppress dissent and protect their manipulation of facts.”
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