Apple on Tuesday sued the Israeli spyware maker at the center of the Pegasus surveillance scandal, seeking to block NSO Group from targeting the over one billion iPhones in circulation.
The suit from the Silicon Valley giant adds to the trouble facing embattled NSO, which was engulfed in controversy over reports that tens of thousands of activists, journalists, and politicians were listed as potential targets of its Pegasus spyware.
US authorities just weeks ago blacklisted NSO to restrict exports from American groups over allegations the Israel firm “enabled foreign governments to conduct translational repression.”
“To prevent further abuse and harm to its users, Apple is also seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any Apple software, services, or devices,” Apple said in a statement announcing the lawsuit filed in US federal court in California.
NSO has consistently denied any wrongdoing and insisted its software is intended for use by authorities only in fighting terrorism and other crimes.
Smartphones infected with Pegasus are essentially turned into pocket spying devices, allowing the user to read the target’s messages, look through their photos, track their location and even turn on their camera without them knowing. Apple says there are 1.65 billion active Apple devices worldwide, including over a billion iPhones.