French ministers have joined the long list of politicians, journalists, activists and executives around the world who have fallen victim to Pegasus spyware. Although the attacks appear to target specific “interest groups”, in theory anyone can be a victim. how to find out if your phone is bugged with Pegasus.
The first scandal erupted in July 2019, when a journalistic investigation revealed how politicians, diplomats, businessmen, human rights activists, lawyers and journalists, among others, had been monitored. with Pegasus software, from the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group.
Pegasus software is sold to governments around the world to hunt down terrorists and criminals. However, it was also used to spy on people of interest, as evidenced by a second investigation in July 2021, which identified 1,000 people in 50 countries who were being monitored by Pegasus.
How Pegasus Works
Pegasus is a remote access tool with spy capabilities, that is, it can monitor a phone remotely and access things like the camera or microphone, as well as take snapshots. screen or identify the keystroke recording.
According to computer security researchers Paul Haskell-Dowland and Roberto Musotto, Pegasus can infect phones – especially iPhones – through multiple routes, but the most common are:
SMS or iMessage: The user receives a message containing a link to a website where the malware is hosted. The victim must click on the link in order to download the
Zero clicks: exploits vulnerabilities in services such as iMessage on iPhones, which allow infection by simply receiving a message. No user action is required.
When spyware is downloaded to the device, the attacker can send other software to secure remote access to the data and functions of the device, in a process that may go unnoticed by the victim.
While the software can affect iPhone and Android phones, reports suggest that the main victims have been Apple users who jailbroken their device.
How do you know if you are being watched?
Let’s be honest, it’s unlikely that an ordinary person will fall victim to a Pegasus attack, but since it’s always good to take precautions, there are a few ways to keep your phone safe.
One way is the Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT), which Amnesty International released in July 2021. The tool, which can be run on Linux or MacOS, examines your device’s files and settings for “Indicators of Compromise”, although it can be a bit complex to use if you don’t have computer knowledge.
The simplest alternative for iPhone phones is the desktop version of the iMazing app, which includes Amnesty International’s kit for free from mid-2021.
- Download and install iMazing on your macOS or Windows computer.
- Run the free trial, which includes the Pegasus scan.
- Connect your iPhone or iPad to the computer and allow the connection on the mobile device.
- Push the button Detect spyware located on the right side of the screen.
- Follow the instructions on the screen. You will have to wait for the app to back up your iPhone or iPad and then scan it.
- iMazing will show you the settings of the spyware detector. Although you can adjust some details (like the folder where the backup will be created), it is recommended that you accept the default settings.
- Finally, you will have to accept the conditions and start the analysis.
When the scan of your device backup is complete, iMazing displays a dialog box with a brief summary of the scan report and indicates whether your device has been compromised.
This is the result you will receive if your phone is compromised.
This image will show you if your phone has any risk associated with Pegasus.
The developers of iMazing also provide a guide to help you interpret the results more accurately.
What to do to stay protected?
While the tool allows you to take action if your phone has been infected with Pegasus, there are also some basic steps you can take to avoid falling victim to an attack:
- Only open links from known and trusted contacts and sources.
- Make sure you have installed the latest security patches from your device manufacturer.
- Activate the phone lock by fingerprint or facial recognition.
- Avoid free public wifi, especially if you access sensitive information.
- Encrypt your device data and activate remote wipe functions.
–
