Citizen Lab, which researches digital threats, said that it occasionally observes cases where it suspects that governments are using spyware to undertake international espionage.
While it said the vast majority of these cases are outside of its “scope and mission”, it sometimes contacts governments if it believes they can reduce harm through their actions.
It found that Pegasus infections were present on electronic devices connected to UK government networks in 2020 and 2021.
Pegasus is spyware developed by the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group that can be covertly installed on mobile phones and other devices running most versions of iOS and Android.
While it may have been built in Israel, the suspected infections relating to the FCO were associated with operators linked to the UAE, India, Cyprus, and Jordan, Citizen Lab said.
The suspected infection at the UK Prime Minister’s Office was particularly associated with a Pegasus operator in the UAE.
...