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activists and lawyers in India had been targeted. Glob- While government has
ally, 1,400 was the number of such users, also includ-
ing diplomats, political dissidents as well as senior not denied or accepted
government officials. Pegasus could compromise the
entire cell data, including that from Skype, Telegram, that it used Pegasus
Viber, SMS, photo, emails, contacts, location, files,
browsing the history, besides microphone and cam-
era recordings. even as it expresses
Pegasus could be installed using targets’ phone
numbers. It can activate targets’ camera and mic to anger at being linked
collect data. A person’s phone number is the only
requirement to install it. The most common way is to the product, the
through SMS or flash SMS. WhatsApp declined to
name those who were targeted, but it said that they names of those who got
contacted each one of them and told them about
the breach. snooped upon reveal
WHATSAPP ACTION
This was after WhatsApp said that journalists and that it is mostly
human rights activists in India have been targets of
surveillance. WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit in a Cali- the dissenters
fornia federal court against Israeli cyber intelligence

PARLIAMENTARY PANEL ON IT

EXPRESSES ‘GRAVE CONCERN’

HE STANDING Committee on ogy, I have received a number of on a vulnerability in the video call-
TInformation Technology issued a requests for comments on the recent ing mechanism of WhatsApp to gain
circular to its members on November disclosure of “snooping” on Indian access to a user’s device. The Govern-
5, 2019 seeking their comments on citizens using WhatsApp, through ment of India has announced that it
a statement issued by Chairman of a software installed by an Israeli has demanded an explanation from
the Committee, Dr Shashi Tharoor. firm, the NSO Group. The media has WhatsApp, which itself has taken legal
The statement says that government released several names of Indian action against the NSO Group.
“demanding explanations from What- citizens who appear to have victims of The statement adds that “there is
sApp, which considers itself a victim this. It also seems that the list released no indication that the Government
of the hack, and not from NSO, which through media is not complete and has written or complained to the NSO
appears to be the perpetrator, seems that the interceptions may be larger in Group about its action in installing the
to serve little purpose”. While seeking number”. hack required to intercept commu-
comments of the members, it says that Recent press reports claim that a nications. This is all the more curious,
the committee will be deliberating software known as Pegasus was used since reports suggest that the NSO
on this matter at their next sitting on on a number of Indian citizens. Those Group only provided this technology
November 20, 2019 while taking up reports also state that WhatsApp has to governmental bodies and not to pri-
the subject ‘Citizen Data Security and contacted a number of activists and vate citizens. Demanding explanations
Privacy’. lawyers (who they believe were not from WhatsApp, which considers itself
The statement says that “as Chair- on any known criminal or national a victim of the hack, and not from NSO,
man of the Parliamentary Standing security threat list) who were victims which appears to be the perpetrator,
Committee on Information Technol- of data interception. Pegasus relied seems to serve little purpose”.

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