Pegasus maker NSO to probe any credible proof of misuse

Israel's NSO, the developer of military grade spyware Pegasus, which has allegedly been used by multiple nations for snooping on politicians, judiciary, officials, activists and journalists, said today that they will thoroughly investigate any credible proof of misuse of its technologies.

"We will shut down the system where necessary," said NSO spokesperson, adding that it will no longer respond to media inquiries.

The company -- which has repeatedly denied that the list leaked to Amnesty International and Paris-based news non-profit Forbidden Stories is not a list of targets or potential targets of Pegasus -- today said it will no longer "play along with the vicious and slanderous campaign".

Meanwhile, Israel has set up a senior inter-ministerial team to look into growing allegations that spyware sold by an Israeli cyber firm has been abused on a global scale, news agency Reuters reported quoting an unnamed Israeli source today. The source said a review of the export of the spyware, Pegasus, is unlikely.

The team is headed by Israel's National Security Council, which answers to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and has broader areas of expertise than the Defence Ministry, which oversees exports of NSO Group's Pegasus software, the source told Reuters.