• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Politics
  4. Israeli Pegasus spyware hacks El Salvador journalists: Report
Politics

Israeli Pegasus spyware hacks El Salvador journalists: Report

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 13 Jan 2022 10:23

Pegasus was found on the smartphones of 35 journalists from different organizations in El Salvador.

  • Pegasus software has accessed the phones of at least 35 journalists in El Salvador
    Pegasus software has accessed the phones of at least 35 journalists in El Salvador

A new report revealed that the Israeli Pegasus spyware has hacked the phones of at least 35 journalists and other citizens in El Salvador during a hack attack on news outlet El Faro and other targets in the country.

The report released on Wednesday by cybersecurity watchdogs Citizen Lab and Access Now comes nearly two months after the US government added NSO Group, the Israeli firm that manufactures Pegasus, to its black list of companies engaging in activities that are contrary to the US government's national security or foreign policy interests.

Hacking journalists 

According to the report, the hacking occurred between July 2020 and November 2021, when news outlets were "reporting on sensitive issues involving President Bukele's administration," such as allegations that the government negotiated a "'pact' with the MS-13 gang for a reduction in violence and electoral support." (This is denied by the government.)

Other targets included "GatoEncerrado, La Prensa Gráfica, Revista Digital Disruptiva, Diario El Mundo, El Diario de Hoy, and two independent journalists," the report added.

It is worth mentioning that Pro-democracy and human rights organizations were among the three nongovernmental organizations targeted, according to the report.

On its account, NSO has unsurprisingly denied reports that its software has been used to spy on journalists, human rights activists, and possibly world leaders by governments all over the world.

Read More: The Pegasus Project: UAE as a Model

Made in “Israel”

To no one's surprise, the mastermind behind this hacking software is no other than the Israeli firm NSO Group which has been in the spotlight for months, with dissidents, journalists, and other figures saying that their repressive governments have utilized the company's technology to spy on them.

Read More: Bin Salman’s “Cyberweapon”: Not Only Against Saudis

  • Pegasus
  • Pegasus project
  • El Salvador
  • Citizen Lab

Trending Now

All
Protest against Israeli NSO group (Reuters)

WhatsApp to pursue lawsuit against Israeli NSO Group: US Supreme Court

Demonstrations in El Salvador (HispanTV)

El Salvador marks 3rd anniversary of martyrs Soleimani, Al-Muhandis

Most Read

Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti (Getty Images)

Buzzfeed to use AI to write its articles after firing 180 employees

  • US & Canada
  • 27 Jan
Twitter headquarters is shown in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2022 (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

FBI created dashboard to mislabel Twitter users as Russian bots

  • US & Canada
  • 27 Jan
Chief of Russian Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Force Igor Kirillov (TASS)

20,000 docs obtained by Russia expose US biowarfare program in Ukraine

  • Europe
  • 30 Jan
The Utter Disconnect between 'Realities'

The Utter Disconnect between 'Realities'

  • Analysis
  • 30 Jan

Read this

All
War criminal Jens Stoltenberg nominated for Nobel peace prize
Europe

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg nominated for Nobel peace prize

  • Today
Rep. George Santos in Washington. (Getty Images)
US & Canada

FBI investigating Santos for stealing $3,000 from homeless veteran

  • Today
Lavrov: Algeria main contender to join BRICS
Europe

Lavrov: Algeria main contender to join BRICS

  • 1 Feb
Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Ziad Al-Nakhalah
Palestine

Exclusive: PIJ delegation, led by Al-Nakhalah to visit Cairo Thursday

  • 1 Feb
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS