Former EU Parliament Member Uncovers Pegasus Spyware Breach on His Phone

A Canadian technology watchdog confirmed that Stelios Kologlou, a former Greek journalist and European Parliament member, discovered his phone was hacked using Israeli spyware Pegasus. Citizen Lab's report, released recently, found that Kologlou's phone was compromised at least three times between October 2022 and March 2023 by NSO Group's Pegasus software. Kologlou served on the European Parliament's PEGA committee, established in 2022 to investigate illegal phone surveillance across the EU. The committee concluded that various EU governments likely used spyware tools, some legitimately and others not. Although the European Parliament did not comment directly on Kologlou's case, it stated its cybersecurity services continuously monitor threats and potential cyberattacks on its work environment. NSO Group has claimed its surveillance tools aid in detecting serious crimes and protecting national security, but it faces repeated allegations of unjustified spying on journalists, political opponents, and human rights activists. In 2021, the US government blacklisted NSO Group over human rights and national security concerns.