Espionage Against the European Parliament (citizenlab.ca)

Article summary

A former Member of the European Parliament, Stelios Kouloglou, was hacked with Pegasus spyware while serving on a committee investigating spyware abuses in Europe. The hacking occurred in 2022 and 2023, and may have compromised confidential documents and committee deliberations. The attackers' identity is unknown, but the hacking is believed to have been carried out by a customer of NSO Group, the company behind Pegasus. The incident raises concerns about the security of European Parliament members and the potential for espionage.

Main themes

• Pegasus spyware
• European Parliament
• Espionage
• Surveillance
• NSO Group
• Data protection

What commenters say

• The hacking of a European Parliament member's device is a significant concern and may have compromised sensitive information.
• The EU's dependence on US tech companies may be a factor in the prevalence of surveillance and espionage.
• Some argue that the EU's data protection laws, such as GDPR, may be harming EU startups and helping US companies.
• Others believe that corporations should not be allowed to do whatever they want and that regulations are necessary to protect citizens' data.
• There is a lack of expertise among parliamentarians working on committees, which can make them vulnerable to security threats.
• Apple's notification system is criticized for not allowing users to view old notifications, which can make it difficult to detect security threats.
• Some argue that Apple's decision not to store notification history is a security and privacy consideration, while others believe it is a lack of care for user needs.
• The incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the use of spyware and surveillance technologies.