Amidst the huge Pegasus spyware controversy across the world, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has shut down their infrastructure and accounts linked to the Israeli surveillance company, NSO Group.
Amnesty International Probe Revealed Pegasus Compromising AWS
In a statement released by the AWS spokesperson said that as soon as they learned of the activity (Pegasus spyware controversy), they quickly shut down the relevant infrastructure and accounts.
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This comes after a probe by Amnesty International had revealed that Pegasus has compromised the data from the phones via commercial services like AWS and Amazon CouldFront. Reports suggest that the military-grade Pegasus spyware from Israeli firm NSO Group was being used by the government across the world to hack the accounts of more than 50,000 people across 50 countries including India.
The Guardian reported that the authoritarian governments using the hacking software offered by the Israeli surveillance company NSO group, was targeting the Human rights activists, journalists and lawyers, globally.
Company Insists Using Information Only For Criminals and Terrorists
The analysis leaked the data identified of atleast 10 governments that are believed to be the customers of the NSO group. It includes Bahrain, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, India, Morocco, Mexico, Azerbaijan and Rwanda
The investigation was conducted by the Guardian along with 16 other media organisations that suggested widespread and continued abuse of the NSO’s hacking spyware. However, the company insists that the data was being used only against the criminals and terrorists.
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Pegasus is a malware that infects iPhones and Android devices to enable operators of the tool to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones.
The leaked data contained a list of more than 50,000 phone numbers that are believed to be the people of interest by the clients of NSO since 2016. In India, reportedly phone numbers of 40 journalists were under the targeted group.
