What is the Spyware PEGASUS?

The spyware called “Pegasus” is a program that installs on phones running Android operating systems and IOs (Apple’s operating system).

It is not necessary to click or open any link, since this program exploits a vulnerability in the infected device and allows you, among other things:

Track calls
Collect passwords
Geolocate the device
Read text messages
Collect information from at least: Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, and Gmail

This program was developed by the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO, which is owned by the US private equity firm Francisco Partners.

The scandal occurred when the Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde among others, made public the leak of at least 50,000 mobile phones that were infected and allegedly compromised.

The list of victims includes:

Presidents and Prime Ministers,
Journalists,
Humanitarian Activists,
Executives,
Members of royal families among others.

Although NSO denies that it acted incorrectly, the leaks indicate that the information obtained from the phones was used for terrorist and criminal purposes, even being related to some homicides currently under investigation.

As is the case of the murder of the Mexican journalist, Cecilio Pineda, who appears on the list of infected phones on more than one occasion.

Of course, NSO denies any relationship between Pineda’s murder and the spyware “Pegasus”, a fact that could not be corroborated, since the journalist’s phone number was not found to perform a forensic analysis on it.

What is spyware?

A Spyware is a small program designed to be stored on our computers or electronic equipment (tablets or phones, for example), which aims to infect and steal information that we have stored on the device or share from it.
One sign that your computer is infected by spyware is speed.

These programs tend to cause the system to consume computer resources, preventing it from working optimally and feeling like it is working slower.

In addition to Pegasus, there are thousands of other threats on the internet, so it is fundamental to navigate with great caution and be aware of the risks that exist to create security plans and protocols.

Throughout this site, you can find articles that will allow you to create more secure networks and tools to reduce exposure and vulnerabilities.

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