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John Scott-Railton Profile picture
@jsrailton
Jul 18, 2021 • 37 tweets • 44 min read • Read on X
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BREAKING: massive, global leak of the targets of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. *huge deal.*

Forensic investigation by @AmnestyTech
in collaboration with @FbdnStories reporters.

We @citizenlab conducted peer review.

Here's an explainer THREAD.
washingtonpost.com/investigations… Image
2. Background: the already-notorious NSO Group makes mercenary spyware to silently & remotely hack iPhones & Androids.

Many of their government customers are authoritarians.

Most cannot resist the temptation to target their critics, reporters, human rights groups etc. Image
3. More about leaked numbers & targets in a sec, but first you need to know:

@AmnestyTech just released a report with technical analysis of NSO's infrastructure... & analysis validating w/forensics that some phones were infected with Pegasus.

amnesty.org/en/latest/rese…
4. We @citizenlab independently peer reviewed @AmnestyTech's forensic methodology, including how they identify an infected phone.

Our review, led by my colleague @billmarczak, judged their forensics & research methodology to be SOUND.

citizenlab.ca/2021/07/amnest… Image
5. Now, to the findings: >50k numbers were leaked that are reportedly part of the infection & targeting workflow with Pegasus.

To help validate the relationship between these numbers & infections @AmnestyTech got consent to forensically examine a subset of the devices. Image
6. The @FbdnStories consortium worked w/the leaked phone numbers... what they found reveals 10 of NSO Group's customers insatiable intent to snoop.

And the massive scale of the operation.

- Mexico customer > 15,000
- Morocco > 10,000
- UAE > 10,00

Etc. Image
7. #SaudiArabia 🇸🇦 murdered & dismembered Jamal Khashoggi.

Jamal's wife was targeted with Pegasus spyware before the killing...

Then his fiancee was hacked multiple times just days after.

@citizenlab independently confirmed findings.

#PegasusProject
washingtonpost.com/investigations… ImageImageImageImage
8. #HUNGARY 🇭🇺

Ask the government for comment... get hacked.

Hungary's far-right PM Viktor Orbán is using Pegasus spyware to surveil & attack Hungary's independent media, like @direkt36, @panyiszabolcs, and many more.

Story: @shaunwalker7 theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/… ImageImageImageImage
9. #INDIA🇮🇳 Over 40 reporters, major opposition figures, serving ministers in the #Modi government, members of the security services and beyond are in the list.

Story to watch as the scandal unfolds there.

Story @svaradarajan @thewire_in
thewire.in/government/pro… Image
10. HUNDREDS of journalists around the globe are on the #PegasusProject list.

NSO Group's role in fueling the authoritarian assault on democratic values (like a free press) is coming into sharp focus

theguardian.com/world/2021/jul… ImageImageImageImage
11. NSO Group puts up a facade of caring about human rights, doing due diligence, etc.

This leak exposes the farce of that performance.

When your customers are dictators... they will do bad things. NSO knows this. We know it.

Now everybody knows it. Image
12. Continuing with cases.... in #FRANCE 🇫🇷

#PegasusProject list includes @edwyplenel, founder of independent news site @Mediapart, a reporter from @lemondefr, etc..

Story lemonde.fr/projet-pegasus… Image
13. in #Mexico 🇲🇽 Journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto was getting death threats for reporting on official collusion with a cartel capo...

...then his number showed up on the #PegasusProject list.

Then he was assassinated.
theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/… ImageImageImageImage
14. Bookmark this thread. Things are only getting started.

I'll be updating it with more cases & context as #PegasusProject revelations keep dropping.
15. REASON TO CARE #1

So, you didn't know today's #PegasusProject hacking victims personally.

But tomorrow? Who knows. You don't.

#NSOGROUP is aggressively pitching *local* cops, including in USA 🇺🇸

Pause. Think about the oversight at your local PD.

vice.com/en/article/889… ImageImageImageImage
16. REASON TO CARE #2:

Since all phones are vulnerable, #Pegasus spyware lets its autocrat-users *export fear*

They want want *you* to be afraid to criticize them.

Yes, you. A continent away. In a democracy.

Think about the implications.
7. REASON TO CARE #3:

Think only human rights defenders & journalists get hacked with #Pegasus?

Wrong.

Good chance officials responsible for the national security of YOUR country have been / will be targeted.

Example pic: 2019 #NSOGroup WhatsApp hack.
reuters.com/article/us-fac… Image
18. Know who else is saying #NSOGroup must be stopped?

Big tech.

These days they are hitting back hard against the mercenary spyware industry for hacking their products & users.

E.g. this thread by @wcathcart @WhatsApp's CEO.👇
19. #INDIA🇮🇳 (2/)

She accused the Chief Justice of India’s Supreme Court of sexual harassment.

Just days later:

Her phone. Her husband's phone. Their family members..

11 in total then showed up on the #PegasusProject list.

thewire.in/rights/ranjan-… ImageImageImage
20. #FRANCE 🇫🇷 Claude Mangin is campaigning for the release of her husband, a political activist, from a #moroccan prison.

She's in France.

Last month her iPhone 11 was silently hacked w/#Pegasus spyware. A second iPhone she borrowed? Also infected.
washingtonpost.com/technology/202… ImageImageImage
21. BREAKING: Americans 🇺🇸 including US. Gov. officials are on the #PegasusProject list...

...even the #Biden administration's lead Iran negotiator Robert Malley!

#NSOGroup is an urgent national security problem for the United States.
washingtonpost.com//national-secu… Image
22. #MEXICO 🇲🇽: At least *50 people* close to the president ... are on the #PegasusProject spyware list.

They were put there while he was campaigning.

-His wife
-Family members, drivers, doctor
-Aides, chief of staff
-Doctor...

#PegasusProject
Story theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/… ImageImage
23. Paul Rusesabagina inspired Hotel #Rwanda 🇷🇼

He's become a critic of the gov., and was recently thrown in jail.

His American 🇺🇸 daughter, while advocating for his release, has been incessantly surveilled w/ #Pegasus.

#PegasusProject
By @skirchy theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/… ImageImageImage
24. Policies to stop the global spyware catastrophe?

Experts @davidakaye & @MarietjeSchaake say:

- Immediate moratorium on sale & transfer
-Rule-of-law requirements on users
-Victims must be able to sue
-Global principles of conduct

#PegasusProject
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/… ImageImageImageImage
25. #INDIA 🇮🇳 (3/) Rahul Gandhi was Prime Minister #Modi's main opponent in the 2019 nat'l elections.

During the campaign, 2 of his phones were put on the #PegasusProject list, and 5 of his friends & fellow Congress party officials.

theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/… Image
26. #NSOGroup & #Pegasus spyware customers are issuing panicky, fairy-tale denials.

Here's my take.

#PegasusProject
27. BREAKING: 10 prime ministers, 3 presidents & a king on the #PegasusProject spyware list.

Included, French president @EmmanuelMacron
🇫🇷

Crystal clear: #NSOGroup is a global national security threat.

Story: washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/… Image
28. #NSOGroup, after courting a lot of press, is suddenly not interested in talking....

So begins the hope-this-dies-down phase of crisis management?
#PegasusProject
29. NEW "there's gotta be some accountability for spies-for-hire"

Senator @RonWyden to Senate Intelligence Committee yesterday in light of #PegasusProject revelations about #NSOGroup spyware.
Full:
30. NEW: 1st legal complaint from #Pegasus victims over latest spyware revelations has landed in France 🇫🇷

Brought by 2 journalists, supported by press freedom org @RSF_inter

Their statement says more complaints inbound.
#PegasusProject
rsf.org/en/news/after-… ImageImageImage
31. NEW: Dalai Lama's inner circle on the #PegasusProject list. (He's not thought to carry a phone)

Happened in period before & after a private meeting with @BarackObama.

#India🇮🇳 suspected as #NSOGroup #spyware client responsible.

Report: theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/… ImageImageImageImage
32. NEW: While #NSOGroup is trying to distract you with a counter narrative...

Here are #Indian 🇮🇳 Police barging into the offices of one of the #PegasusProject media outlets. 👇
35. TODAY: @WhatsApp CEO @wcathcart rubbishes #NSOGroup's denials:

- #PegasusProject reporting consistent w/targeting in #NSOGroup's 2019 attack on WhatsApp users.
- Points out: in *only* 2 weeks 1.4k numbers were confirmed targeted in 2019. Do the math.

theguardian.com/technology/202… ImageImage
36. BIG DEAL: today @WhatsApp CEO @wcathcart *publicly confirmed* that senior national security officials of US allies🇺🇸 were targeted with #Pegasus spyware in 2019.

Clear message: #NSOGroup spyware is a national security threat.

By @skirchy theguardian.com/technology/202… Image
37. Taking #NSOGroup's denials at face value?

CEO: "you won't reach 50,000 #Pegasus targets since the company was founded"

FACT: there were >1,400 *confirmed* targets in just 2 weeks in 2019 per @WhatsApp.

At this rate NSO would have easily reached 50k+
calcalistech.com/ctech/articles… Image
38. Not familiar with the 2019 #NSOGroup attack on @WhatsApp?

#Pegasus spyware was used to target people via WhatsApp in 2019. WhatsApp spotted it, quickly shut it down, notified all targets...and then *sued* NSO.

We @citizenlab helped investigate.
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…
39. "A.Q. Khans of the cyber world"

🇺🇸 US lawmakers just came out swinging against mercenary hacking company #NSOGroup.

Statement: US Gov must impose consequences in light of latest revelations of spyware misuse.

Reps @Malinowski @RepKatiePorter @JoaquinCastrotx @RepAnnaEshoo ImageImageImage

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More from @jsrailton

John Scott-Railton Profile picture
Mar 19
🚨NEW REPORT: first forensic confirmation of #Paragon mercenary spyware infections in #Italy...

Known targets: Activists & journalists.

We also found deployments around the world. Including ...Canada?

And a lot more... Thread on our @citizenlab investigation 1/Image
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2/ So #Paragon makes zero-click spyware marketed as better than NSO's Pegasus...

Harder to find...

...And more ethical too!

This caught our attention @citizenlab & we were skeptical.

By @iblametom forbes.com/sites/thomasbr…Image
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3/ We got a tip about a single bit of #Paragon infrastructure & my brilliant colleague @billmarczak developed a technique to fingerprint some of the mercenary spyware infrastructure (both victim-facing & customer side) globally.

So much for invisibility.

What we found startled us.

citizenlab.ca/2025/03/a-firs…Image
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Read 18 tweets
John Scott-Railton Profile picture
Feb 6
BREAKING: #Paragon reportedly terminates spyware contract with #Italy.

Right on heels of reported targeting of journalist & activists in Italy.

BIG DEAL: puts Italian government in the hot seat, since they denied knowing about it only hours ago.👇
Image
2/ Read this slowly.

The implication is clear: the Italian government was a #Paragon customer & had their contract terminated...

Even as @GiorgiaMeloni's office was issuing denials.

Likely to make the scandal worse.

Exceptional reporting from The Guardian
theguardian.com/technology/202…Image
Image
3/ Big picture:

#Paragon's carefully constructed image of being a clean mercenary spyware company that wasn't susceptible to abuses has been replaced by a more familiar tale of...

Abuses...

And #Italy is now saddled with an unfolding crisis around spyware abuse.
Read 7 tweets
John Scott-Railton Profile picture
Feb 1
NEW: @WhatsApp says Israeli mercenary spyware company #Paragon targeted scores of users around world.

The infection happened with no interaction. No link to click or attachment to open.

This is called a "zero-click" attack.

WA says targets included journalists & members of civil society.

They dismantled the attack vector & notified users.

Good.

We at @citizenlab shared some info instrumental to their investigation of the vector.

This is a BIG deal. Here's why 1/Image
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2/ For a few years the only source of information about #Paragon... has been Paragon.

They marketed themselves as the anti-NSO.

(NSO makes the notorious #Pegasus spyware)

It's easier to frame yourself as virtuous in the spyware game if nobody can look over your shoulder.

By @iblametom
forbes.com/sites/thomasbr…

By @RonanFarrow
newyorker.com/magazine/2022/…Image
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3/ Late last year, partly on the strength of their promised virtue #Paragon seemed closer than ever to landing the industrys juiciest of prices.

Market access into the USA.

This is the goal of a lot of spyware companies & their investors...

At the time, there simply were no pesky reports on Paragon that showed anything might be other than rosy.

Story @criticalvas
wired.com/story/ice-para…Image
Read 12 tweets
John Scott-Railton Profile picture
Jan 23
NEW: US seeks extradition of Israeli private spy over sprawling hacking against 🇺🇸American nonprofits.

Amit Forlit's alleged customer? US lobbying firm @DCIGroup... representing @exxonmobil

Extradition filings in UK give fresh peek into this wild case 1/Image
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2/ The case was triggered back in 2018, when US-based nonprofits targeted by hackers requested that @citizenlab notify the authorities.

In 2020, we went public with the investigation, alongside @jc_stubbs @razhael & @Bing_Chris 👇

3/ Fast forward to today's efforts to extradite Amit Forlit, who was arrested at Heathrow last year.

He's actually the second Israeli private investigator charged in this massive hacking scheme targeting Americans.

The first, Aviram Azari, was arrested in 2019, convicted & is serving out his sentence.

justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/i…Image
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Read 7 tweets
John Scott-Railton Profile picture
Dec 23, 2024
The volume of scam phone calls targeting elderly people in the US is insane.

Anyone that has visited an aging person knows what I'm talking about.

Ring after ring.

Several calls a day isn't out of the ordinary each of them a risk of wiping out their savings.

It's an untenable situation and will only get worse without focused government action.
Phone predators constantly target your parents.

Foreign scam call centers are running on an industrial scale.

Efforts phone companies are making are obviously not up to the task.

Just ask any retired person you know when they last got a scam call.
The constant phone scamming of elderly Americans is like an opportunistic infection.

It is a symptom showing that the US phone system's defenses against foreign abuses are diminished.

With increasingly clever AI/ deepfake voices & automation, the problem is set to get worse.
Read 4 tweets
John Scott-Railton Profile picture
Dec 23, 2024
VPN advertising is the most common source of security misinformation that I encounter.

By far.

So many people misplace their trust in dubious consumer VPN products.

The industry is a scourge.
VPNs don't do most of the things that podcasters imply they do.

Security:
Coffee shop attacks on unencrypted logins are a thing of a decade ago.

VPNs won't stop even the dumbest spyware & phishing.

Privacy:
Advertisers still know it's you when you turn on a VPN... they use many other identifying signals from your device, like your browser & advertising IDs. Those don't change when you turn on a VPN.
Trust:
A lot of VPN companies are shady.... and the industry is consolidating fast around some questionable players with concerning histories.

When you turn on a VPN you entrust all of your data to those companies.
Read 7 tweets

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