According to reporting by Reuters, the European Commissioner for justice was targeted last year by spyware designed by an Israeli surveillance firm. Other high-ranking staffers were also allegedly compromised.
Commission officials reportedly were made aware of a potential breach in November 2021, when Apple issued a warning notice. There have been no official confirmations regarding the attack, whether it was successful or what might have been compromised as a result.
Israeli firm NSO and its ForcedEntry spyware – which allows users to take remote control of smartphones – was allegedly the tool used. NSO denies that its product could have been used in this way.
Another NSO spyware tool, Pegasus, is the subject of a European Parliament committee that has been specially set up to investigate the scandal that it has unleashed. Work is due to begin later this month.
“These are very serious revelations. We need to get to the bottom of this. The parliamentary...