Politician who investigated spyware abuses had his phone hacked with Pegasus spyware

AI Summary

Greek journalist and former European Parliament member Stelios Kouloglou had his phone hacked with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware in October 2022 and March 2023, while he was serving on the EU's PEGA committee investigating spyware abuses. Researchers at Citizen Lab confirmed the attacks, which exploited an unpatched vulnerability in Apple's iPhone software, allowing hackers to silently steal his messages, location data, and photos without his knowledge. The timing of the hacks coincided with critical committee drafting periods and even during Kouloglou's hospitalization. While no specific country was attributed, investigators noted the attacks used the same Pegasus-linked email address from a previous European hacking campaign. Kouloglou announced plans to sue NSO Group, stating he was going public to defend democracy and human rights.