Project Pegasus: 3 weeks ago, NSO admitted misuse risk, said secrecy barred it from gatekeeping

Barely a fortnight before the global expose on the alleged misuse of its flagship spyware, Israel’s NSO Group, in a policy document, acknowledged that “the customers for Pegasus are states and state agencies” who may be “tempted to limit fundamental freedoms”.

Prepared on June 30, the policy document said NSO Group has 60 customers — states and state agencies — in 40 countries. Of these, 51% are intelligence agencies, 38% law enforcement entities and 11% military.

Titled ‘Transparency and Responsibility Report 2021’, the policy document identified the potential misuse of NSO Group’s spyware against politicians, NGOs, journalists, lawyers etc among the “most salient human rights risks” associated with it.