“Spyware is a software with malicious behavior that aims to gather information about a person or organization and send it to another entity in a way that harms the user.”

We have come to expect certain security features when it comes to our business and personal computers to protect us from spyware. Now our phones, the devices we rely so heavily on have become a target for spyware. But what if this seemingly malicious software is used to help monitor and uncover criminal and terrorist activity?

NSO Group is an Israeli technology firm with a flagship product called Pegasus. It is a “spyware that can stealthily enter a smartphone and gain access to everything on it, including its camera and microphone.” As of now, the company only provides this product to governments and solely for the purpose of tracking criminals and terrorists.

How does it work? The way in which Pegasus is installed onto devices is through vulnerabilities in commonly used apps or by tricking the target user to click on a link or open a document that ends up installing the software. These are the same ways in which other spyware is installed on computers, which is a little unsettling. While this software is reserved for criminal and terrorist activities, ensuring the security of this software for its intended use should continue to be a focus for NSO Group.

Data security continues to be a concern for many types of industries, even when the same methods you are protecting your data from are being used to help fight illegal activities. Pragmatyxs works closely with our customers and follows all necessary security protocols to ensure data security is not compromised when label compliance is updated or enhanced.