'False allegations': NSO Group denies reports of Pegasus misuse; questions sources

After allegations were levelled that its software Pegasus targeted 50,000 phone numbers globally, private Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group issued a denial. The leaked database of these numbers was accessed by French non-profit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International and subsequently shared with 16 media organizations. In a statement issued on Sunday, the firm rubbished these allegations and cast doubts on the reliability of the sources.

It stated, "After checking their claims, we firmly deny the false allegations made in their report. Their sources have supplied them with information which has no factual basis, as evident by the lack of supporting documentation for many of their claims. In fact, these allegations are so outrageous and far from reality, that NSO is considering a defamation lawsuit."

Moreover, it refuted the claim that the data was leaked from its servers. Moreover, the NSO Group reiterated that its technology was not associated with the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi in any way. It affirmed, "We would like to emphasize that NSO sells its technologies solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of vetted governments for the sole purpose of saving lives through preventing crime and terror acts. NSO does not operate the system and has no visibility to the data". 

Here is the full statement of the NSO Group: 

Centre denies snooping charges

As per media reports, the Pegasus spyware targeted over 300 Indian mobile numbers including that of 40 journalists, businesspersons, one constitutional authority, three opposition leaders and two sitting Ministers in the Union government. The database also allegedly contained the numbers of activists such as Anand Teltumbde, Sudha Bharadwaj, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen and Gautam Navlakha who are accused and incarcerated in the Bhima Koregaon case. However, the presence of a phone number in the database is not a confirmation of whether the corresponding device was infected with Pegasus or was subject to an attempted hack.

Rejecting these charges, the Centre stated, “The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever. In the past, similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp by Indian state. Those reports also had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including WhatsApp in the Indian Supreme Court. This news report, thus, also appears to be a similar fishing expedition, based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy and its institutions.”