Isreali Spyware Was Used in Latest Cyber Attack on UK Prime Minister
Citizen Lab confirmed several cyberattacks on the residence of British Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson and the United Kingdom’s (UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The assaults, which span between 2022 and 2021 were carried out by a United Arab Emirates-based user.
The Canada-based watchdog claimed the campaign was done using Israeli NSO Group Pegasus spyware. The affected sectors were not disclosed in the report, but Citizen Lab alleged it briefed the UK Government on the affected networks.
The forensics team maintained that the FCO has been a target for users of the same spyware based in India, Cyprus, and Jordan. The aim of the campaign was not disclosed. However, the investigation team saw similarities with a previous attack in Uganda.
The Ugandan assault targeted the US. State Department employees’ foreign phone numbers with hopes of stealing their identities or gaining sensitive information.
The UK Takes Proactive Measures
There have been no reported measures by the UK Government to prevent or combat such a campaign. The report claimed that legislative and judicial efforts are in the process of reforming cyber policies, which includes compensation for victims of spyware attacks.
Citizen Lab also called on the government to ensure that these measures are fully implemented without the influence of the said tool. Additionally, the group advised that the British Government take appropriate action to mitigate the possibility of such attacks happening.
NSO Spyware has Been Used in Previous Attacks
It was reported last week that top European Union officials were targets of Israeli spyware. As per the report, the current European justice commissioner, Didier Reynders, and four others were targeted during the campaign.
The attempts that took place last year were discovered when Apple sent out messages to thousands of iPhone owners in November telling them they were “targeted by state-sponsored attackers.
