2023-09-13 18:12:14
The award-winning Russian journalist Galina Timchenkowho currently resides in Europe, had his iPhone invaded with spyware Pegasusmanufactured by the Israeli NSO Group, according to a joint investigation do Citizen Lab e do Access Now.
The case happened around February 10, when Timchenko was in Germany, shortly before a meeting in Berlin with the main independent Russian media that oppose the government of Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia.
The news raised questions regarding who might be behind the attack, but researchers said they were unable to immediately identify who was responsible.
Russia might be considered a candidate, given that Timchenko is the co-founder and executive director of Meduza, an independent Russian news site that has a history of publishing critical articles regarding the war in Ukraine and investigations into the Russian elite, including people close to Putin.
Timchenko told the The Washington Post that she herself believed that Russia was behind the invasion. But investigations found it “unlikely” that the country was a client of the NSO Group, emphasizing that they had not seen any other research indications that Moscow might be behind the attack.
NSO Group, it is worth noting, does not disclose the names of its clients. But a spokesman appeared to suggest that Russia was not a customer. According to the statement:
NSO only sells its technologies to US and Israeli allies and always investigates credible allegations of misuse, taking immediate action if necessary.
More information regarding the case is available at an article from Meduza which details the events before and following the discovery of spyware on the journalist’s iPhone.
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