Israel-made spyware Pegasus was believed to have been used to snoop on at least 300 Indian phone numbers, including those of over 40 senior journalists, Politicians, and government officials, and activists.
Forensic analysis of some of the devices showed the presence of pegasus. Pegasus spyware, developed by NSO can infect a phone via a website link or a WhatsApp call. Pegasus has been referred to as the most sophisticated smartphone attack ever.
According to Wikipedia: Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group that can be covertly installed on mobile phones running most versions of iOS and Android. The 2021 Project Pegasus revelations suggest that the current Pegasus software can exploit all recent iOS versions up to iOS 14.6.
How is Pegasus Installed on a Phone?
Pegasus was initially used to gain access to a phone through a malicious web link through a message or email. Once a user clicked on the link, Pegasus would be installed on the phone.
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But then the Spyware also gained some new Abilities
Researchers found that it could be even installed on the phone with just a missed WhatsApp call. Once Pegasus had access to the device, it could delete any call logs. Thus making it virtually impossible for the victim to know that their phone was a target by the spyware.
Which Smartphones are supported?
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- Blackberry
NOTE: Important thing to understand is there are many spywares in which you can find on internet (you can purchase and use them but please use for parental control or other legal use only) but what makes Pegasus special is not the spyware itself (of course all spyware do similar type spying on phones) rather the vulnerabilities that it comes with which helps it’s installation.
What can Pegasus Do?
- The spyware can steal passwords, contacts, text messages, and photos.
- Almost Everything can be controlled from taking screenshots to self-destructing smartphones.
How to get RID of Pegasus?
Cybersecurity experts have pointed out that the only way to get completely rid of Pegasus is to discard the phone that has been affected.
According to Citizen Lab, even factory resetting your smartphone will not be useful as it cannot get rid of the spyware completely.
The attackers can continue to access your online accounts even after your device is no longer infected.
Should you worry about pegasus?
Not really. There are two reasons for that. One, Pegasus is old spyware now. It has been well-researched, and companies like WhatsApp, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others have patched the security loopholes in their software.
This Doesn’t mean there are no new variants of Pegasus there
Secondly, Pegasus, or something like Pegasus is a targeted surveillance tool. It is expensive to purchase, millions of dollars, and requires sophisticated handling – and hence is likely to be used only by big organizations and governments.
How to be safe from spyware or malware
- Don’t Click on unknown malicious links.
- Don’t open email attachments from an unknown, suspicious, or untrustworthy source.
- Keep your device up to date with the latest build.
- Use latest applications versions.
- Don’t use unknown sources applications. Download apps from the play store or app store.
- Don’t jailbreak or root your device.
- Turn off unnecessary services WiFi, Bluetooth, Data, GPS, etc.
- Use your own charging cable or adapter to prevent juice jacking.