Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsF.B.I. Secretly Bought Israeli Spyware and Explored Hacking U.S. Phones
Israel used the NSO Groups software as a tool of diplomacy. The F.B.I. wanted it for domestic surveillance. Then everything soured. Here are highlights of a New York Times Magazine investigation.https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/28/world/middleeast/israel-pegasus-spyware.html
It is widely regarded as the worlds most potent spyware, capable of reliably cracking the encrypted communications of iPhone and Android smartphones.
The software, Pegasus, made by an Israeli company, NSO Group, has been able to track terrorists and drug cartels. It has also been used against human rights activists, journalists and dissidents.
Now, an investigation published Friday by The New York Times Magazine has found that Israel, which controls the export of the spyware, just as it does the export of conventional weapons, has made Pegasus a key component of its national security strategy, using it to advance its interests around the world.
The yearlong investigation, by Ronen Bergman and Mark Mazzetti, also reports that the F.B.I. bought and tested NSO software for years with plans to use it for domestic surveillance until the agency finally decided last year not to deploy the tools.
snip
The Battle for the Worlds Most Powerful Cyberweapon
A Times investigation reveals how Israel reaped diplomatic gains around the world from NSOs Pegasus spyware a tool America itself purchased but is now trying to ban
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/28/magazine/nso-group-israel-spyware.html
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
6 replies, 751 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (4)
ReplyReply to this post
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
F.B.I. Secretly Bought Israeli Spyware and Explored Hacking U.S. Phones (Original Post)
Celerity
Jan 2022
OP
Exactly... Just like the Israeli police did not use it on the Palestinians... They all lie..nt
mitch96
Jan 2022
#3
global1
(25,247 posts)1. Was This Something That Was Considered Under The Tr**p Administration?.....nt
Firestorm49
(4,035 posts)2. The FBI decided not to use it........sure- right.
mitch96
(13,904 posts)3. Exactly... Just like the Israeli police did not use it on the Palestinians... They all lie..nt
Eugene
(61,894 posts)6. Never mind the Palestinians, Israeli police was caught using Pegasus on Israeli citizens as well.
Israel police uses NSOs Pegasus to spy on citizens
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3927410,00.html
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/jan/18/israeli-citizens-targeted-by-police-using-pegasus-spyware-report-claims
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/police-used-nso-s-pegasus-to-spy-on-israelis-without-court-order-report-says-1.10546407
Mayors, leaders of political protests against former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former governmental employees, were among those tracked by police without a search or bugging warrant authorizing the surveillance
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3927410,00.html
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/jan/18/israeli-citizens-targeted-by-police-using-pegasus-spyware-report-claims
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/police-used-nso-s-pegasus-to-spy-on-israelis-without-court-order-report-says-1.10546407
crickets
(25,979 posts)5. The implications for Israel's foreign policy are profound.
It's a long article (I've only read about a third so far) but it goes into great detail of how this software has become a major bargaining tool for Israel. The FBI turning Pegasus down, if they did do so, is a big slap in the face to Israel. It's understandable that FBI lawyers spent about two years arguing this. On ethical and legal grounds, good for the FBI. In terms of security (and I am huge privacy advocate) Pegasus would be a powerful tool against rising militant groups at home. Still not a good idea given how it could, and almost certainly would, be abused. More to read.