UK: Boris Johnson's Downing Street office was targeted with "several" suspected infections using Pegasus, the sophisticated hacking software that can turn a phone into a remote listening device, according to reports.
The UAE is accused of organising malware attacks against No. 10 in 2020 and 2021, as per to a report released by Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto.
The Israeli corporation NSO Group created, marketed, and licenced Pegasus hacking software (spyware) to governments all over the world. It can infect phones that run the iOS or Android operating systems. There were reportedly other suspected attacks on the Foreign Office over the same two years that were linked to Pegasus operators affiliated to the UAE, as well as India, Cyprus, and Jordan.
The researchers, who are regarded as some of the world's top experts in identifying digital attacks, revealed that they had taken the unusual step of informing Whitehall of the attack because it "believes that our actions will limit harm." However, they were unable to identify the precise persons suspected of being hacked within No. 10 and the Foreign Office.
"We certify that in 2020 and 2021 we saw and warned the government of the United Kingdom of many suspected instances of Pegasus spyware attacks within official UK networks," Citizen Lab stated in a statement. The prime minister's office (10 Downing Street) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were among them.
"The alleged FCO infections were linked to Pegasus operators in the UAE, India, Cyprus, and Jordan," says the report. The infection at the UK prime minister's office was linked to a Pegasus operator in the United Arab Emirates."
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