Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli foreign ministry: The vessels and the passengers are transferred to an Israeli port, and the passengers are expected to be deported promptly.
Sumud Flotilla: Addameer vessel attacked by an Israeli military helicopter with 93 journalists, doctors and activists on board
Freedom Flotilla Coalition: The Addameer Vessel was seized by the Israeli Navy
Israeli ministry of foreign affairs says ships and passengers of the Freedom Flotilla will be transferred to an Israeli port and deported immediately
Freedom Flotilla Coalition: 3 ships attacked and illegally intercepted by Israeli occupation.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa's motorcade comes under fire in Ecuador
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Lebanon: Israeli quadcopter drops two shells on cafe in Houla town in South Lebanon
Informed source to Al Mayadeen: SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi demands that al-Sharaa approve the establishment of an autonomous region similar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Israeli media: Three drones launched from Yemen toward Eilat in span of 20 minutes.
Qatari Foreign Ministry: "Israel" should have already ceased fire under Trump plan for Gaza

Predator; another Israeli spyware used to hack Greek official's phone

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Sep 2022 10:34
  • 2 Shares
3 Min Read

The Greek government is embroiled in a crisis over the deployment of the Israeli Predator spyware after a Greek ex-minister's phone was bugged.

  • x
  • Israeli-made spyware used to hack Greek Ex-minister's phone
    Predator; yet another Israeli-made spyware

Israeli-made spyware, Predator, was used to hack into a Greek ex-minister's phone in the third case of a Greek national being targeted with the malware. 

Greece is involved in a massive political scandal over revelations involving spyware, which was found on the phone of a prominent investigative journalist and the leader of the country's social democratic party. 

In the most recent case, a former lawmaker and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Spirtzis, a member of the left-wing party SYRIZA, was hacked in 2021 using a malicious link that also reached and infected the phone of journalist Thanasis Koukakis.

The head of Greece's intelligence service Panagiotis Kontoleon stepped down amid increased scrutiny of the agency's surveillance practices, including an accusation by an opposition party leader that his phone was bugged by Predator in 2021.

Read next: House hearing highlights US concerns about Israeli NSO Group spyware

Greece admitted to conducting surveillance, claiming that it was done legally, but it did not say if it used the Predator spyware created by the Israeli-owned firm Intellexa and its subsidiary CYTROX.

Related News

ICE access to Israeli Graphite spyware sparks civil rights concerns

Italy terminates contract with Israeli Paragon amid espionage claims

The latter is registered in North Macedonia and operates in Greece.

Intellexa is run by a former Israeli military intelligence official Tal Dilian. The company moved to Greece after it was in Cyprus. 

Predator and Pegasus spyware are very similar to each other, with the latter made by the competing and more famous cyber firm NSO Group. Like Pegasus, Predator allows the operator to access the entire contents of the target’s phone, as well as secretly activate its camera and phone and recording.

The latest minister hacking scandal was revealed in May when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's phone was subjected to a cyberattack using Israeli Pegasus spyware, and data was stolen from the device.

The hacking took place in May 2021 through Israeli spyware, Felix Bolanos, the secretary of state of the Prime Minister's office, announced at a news conference. He also revealed that Defense Minister Margarita Robles' phone had been met with the same fate.

Last year, five French ministers and a diplomatic consultant of French President Emmanuel Macron were targeted with "Israel's" Pegasus spyware, sources told AFP, confirming earlier reports by investigative website Mediapart.

French security services caught the spyware while checking the phones. It is believed that the infiltrations took place in 2019 and 2020, according to Mediapart's report.

  • Israeli spyware
  • Greece
  • Predator
  • Pegasus

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
In this May 20, 20201, photo Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, arrives in Baghdad, Iraq (AP)
Politics

US spent $33 billion on post-Oct.7 genocide, wars, Brown Uni reports

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a news conference to mark the seventh day of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. (AP)
Politics

US troops face unpaid wages as government shutdown drags on

Mourners wave Hezbollah and a Palestinian flag during the funeral of Hezbollah former leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Sayyed Hashem Safieddine in the Sports City Stadium in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, February 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Hezbollah voices support for Gaza, Resistance on October 7 anniversary

Al-Aqsa Flood restored Palestinian cause on the global stage: Hamas
Politics

Al-Aqsa Flood restored Palestinian cause on the global stage: Hamas

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS