Citizen Lab Finds Pegasus Hit Ex-MEP's iPhone 3 Times During EU Probe
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 3
Citizen Lab Finds Pegasus Hit Ex-MEP's iPhone 3 Times During EU Probe
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 3
Summary
Citizen Lab said Stelios Kouloglou’s iPhone was infected at least three times in 2022 and 2023 while he served on the European Parliament’s PEGA committee investigating spyware abuse.
The intrusions in Athens and Brussels could have exposed confidential exchanges among committee members and sensitive parliamentary proceedings, including material relevant to parties under PEGA scrutiny.
Apple sent Kouloglou threat notifications only months after each breach, and Citizen Lab said it found no evidence pointing to the Greek government as the operator.
The case adds to pressure on NSO Group, whose Pegasus has been blacklisted by the US since 2021 and was cited by EU lawmakers and rights advocates as a threat to democratic oversight.
Following the Intellexa chief's admission, will the Greek government face justice for the spyware scandal?
As spyware targets its own lawmakers, can the EU effectively regulate the powerful surveillance industry?
When even spyware investigators are not safe, is anyone's digital privacy truly secure from state surveillance?
Pegasus Spyware Strikes EU Lawmaker Investigating Abuse: How State Surveillance Threatens European Democracy
Overview
The report reveals that Stelios Kouloglou, a Greek journalist and former MEP, was targeted and infected with Pegasus spyware while investigating spyware abuses in the European Parliament. Citizen Lab researchers identified this attack and found that the same government client likely targeted Kouloglou and several other independent journalists and activists across Europe, using a unique Apple ID email. This client probably operated in both Belgium and Greece. The incident shows that perpetrators not only spied on lawmakers but also compromised the investigation itself, highlighting a serious threat to democratic processes and the integrity of parliamentary oversight.