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 transnational 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.
"Defendants are notorious hackers — amoral 21st century
mercenaries who have created highly sophisticated cyber-surveillance machinery
that invites routine and flagrant abuse," the iPhone maker wrote in its
case.
NSO has consistently denied any wrongdoing and insisted its
software is intended for use by authorities only in fighting terrorism and
other crimes.
"Pedophiles and terrorists can freely operate in
technological safe-havens, and we provide governments the lawful tools to fight
it. NSO group will continue to advocate for the truth," the firm said in a
statement to AFP.
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 iPhone devices.
'Mercenary spyware'
The suit from Apple is not the first from a Big Tech firm —
Facebook sued NSO Group in 2019, accusing it of using the WhatsApp messenger to
conduct cyberespionage on journalists, human rights activists, and others.
That suit, filed in a California federal court, alleged
approximately 1,400 devices were targeted with malicious software to steal
valuable information from those using the messaging app.
"This can't be good news for NSO, which is reportedly
in danger of default with over $500 million (roughly Rs. 3,730 crore) in debt,
a recent leadership shakeup with their CEO, and France pulling out of a planned
purchase after the US sanctions," said Jake Williams from cybersecurity
firm BreachQuest.
Following the initial concern over Pegasus, a subsequent
wave of worries emerged when Apple released a fix in September for a weakness
allowing NSO's spyware to infect devices without users even clicking on a
malicious message or link.
The so-called "zero-click" attack is able to
silently corrupt the targeted device, and was identified by researchers at
Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity watchdog organisation in Canada.
Apple said Tuesday it is notifying the "small
number" of users that it discovered may have been targeted by those types
of attacks.
"Mercenary spyware firms like NSO Group have
facilitated some of the world's worst human rights abuses and acts of
transnational repression, while enriching themselves and their investors,"
said Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert.
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