Former MEP investigating Pegasus spyware was himself compromised by the same tool
Executive summary: Investigators discovered that a former MEP serving on the EU Parliament’s Pegasus inquiry committee had his phone hacked with Pegasus spyware. The breach casts doubt on the security of the parliamentary investigation and signals that even those tasked with overseeing spyware abuses can be targeted.
Who is involved: Former MEP (unnamed), EU Parliament Pegasus inquiry committee, NSO Group (developer of Pegasus), Government customer(s) that deployed the spyware
Likely next: The Parliament may launch an internal security review, demand explanations from relevant governments, and consider stricter export controls on surveillance technology.
A probe has revealed that a former European Parliament member, who was part of the committee examining Pegasus abuses, had his own phone infiltrated with the NSO Group's spyware. The finding underscores the potential vulnerability of oversight mechanisms and raises questions about the integrity of the inquiry’s work. While no direct evidence of tampered findings has emerged, the incident highlights the reach of sophisticated surveillance tools into political circles.
Timeline
- — Probe finds former MEP investigating Pegasus was hacked with Pegasus (Politico Europe)
- — Politician who investigated spyware abuses had his phone hacked with Pegasus spyware (TechCrunch)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- EU Parliament initiates internal security audit of committee members’ devices
- Calls for a temporary halt on Pegasus exports pending investigation
Sectors affected
- Cybersecurity
- Defense and surveillance technology
- EU regulatory and policy making
Regulatory implications
- Tighter EU oversight on dual-use surveillance exports
- Possible sanctions or restrictions on NSO Group clients
- Enhanced mandatory security protocols for parliamentary staff handling sensitive investigations
Historical parallels
- 2018 Pegasus targeting of journalists and activists in Mexico and Saudi Arabia
- 2021 revelations of Pegasus use against French officials
- 2022 whistleblower reports of Pegasus misuse in India
Key entities
Sources
- Probe finds former MEP investigating Pegasus was hacked with Pegasus — Politico Europe
- Politician who investigated spyware abuses had his phone hacked with Pegasus spyware — TechCrunch