A member of the European Parliament (EP) serving on the special committee investigating the misuse of the Pegasus spyware developed by Israel-based NSO Group became a target of the same software while the investigation was ongoing.
According to a report by Citizen Lab, a Canadian cybersecurity research group based at the University of Toronto, the phone of Greek journalist and former MEP Stelios Kuloglu was hacked at least three times using Pegasus between October 2022 and March 2023.
The report stated that this is the first publicly confirmed case in which a serving member of a committee investigating the use of Pegasus and similar spyware in Europe was personally attacked.
Risk of investigation document breach
According to the investigation, the first breach occurred on 21 October 2022. At that time, the committee was preparing for critical sessions and draft reports were being circulated among members. The report's authors do not rule out the possibility that the attackers accessed investigation materials not yet made public.
In addition to accessing messages, documents and photos on the device, the attackers also had the ability to use the microphone and camera. The report stressed that the incident jeopardised not only the security of an MEP but also the confidentiality of the investigation conducted by the legislative body.
Citizen Lab called on EU institutions to conduct a thorough investigation, recommending that all committee members and staff be scanned for possible spyware infections and that a joint mechanism be developed to protect European institutions from similar cyberattacks.
Kuloglu's role on the committee
Stelios Kuloglu served on the EP's special committee that investigated the use of Pegasus and other digital surveillance tools between March 2022 and July 2023. The committee examined allegations of illegal surveillance by European governments targeting journalists, politicians, activists and citizens.
Pegasus and NSO Group
Pegasus is considered one of the most advanced commercially available spyware products. Developed by Israel-based NSO Group, which claims it is sold only to government agencies, the software is said to be licensed for combating terrorism and serious crime.
However, in recent years Pegasus has repeatedly made headlines in international investigations amid reports that it was used to surveil journalists, opposition politicians, human rights defenders and social activists. NSO Group is currently under U.S. sanctions.
