Pegasus Spyware:
The private Israeli company has denied any wrongdoing. As well as this, its Pegasus spyware program has also been criticized for hypocrisy.
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The Pegasus spyware revelations in India have once again caused a political stir. The NSO Group has issued a statement in response to the controversy over this spying software. The New York Times revealed recently that the Indian government has purchased Pegasus spyware from Israel. Opposition members have surrounded the Modi government over this. In response, NSO has released a statement.
What about NSO’s statement?
Private Israeli company denies any wrongdoing. In addition to this, the Pegasus spyware program has also been criticized as hypocritical. The company has been accused of selling spyware for misuse on a global scale that is a military-grade weapon.
Shalev Hulio, chief executive officer of NSO Group, admitted to making mistakes over the years in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12. He denied being involved in any wrongdoing by the NSO, however, and said that I sleep well at night.
“Well if America sells weapons, we shouldn’t sell spy software.”
“We don’t sell spyware to a country that doesn’t sell its weapons to the United States,” he said. Therefore, it is a bit hypocritical that it is alright to sell fighter jets, F-35s, tanks and drones to any country, but that spying on connected equipment is wrong.” Hulio also stated that they had 90 clients contacted for this technology, but according to the law, they only provided this technology to 40 users.
It is hoped that America will soon lift the restrictions on the company
When asked about the company’s blacklisting by the US Commerce Ministry last year, he called it “outrageous”. He hoped that the list would soon be removed. “Our technology has helped America’s national security and interests for decades,” the official said. The US Commerce Ministry blacklisted the technology.
‘Pegasus was not used to spy on French President’
Hulio also denied that Pegasus was used to hack into the phone of French President Emmanuel Macron. He also denied that the company’s products were linked to the murder of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Asked whether the NSO group has made mistakes since its founding, he said, “It’s impossible not to make mistakes in a span of 12 years.” However, he did not elaborate.