The Israeli spyware company NSO Group has lost its CEO, spurring layoffs of about 100 employees.
The NSO Group company logo is displayed on a wall of a building next to one of their branches in the southern Israeli Arava valley near Sapir community centre on February 8, 2022. - Israel's domestic spying scandal widened yesterday, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowing government action following new reports that police illegally used the Pegasus malware to hack phones of dozens of prominent figures. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)
On Sunday, the company announced that its CEWO Shalev Hulio was stepping down effective immediately. This temporarily leaves operations in the hands of COO Yaron Shohat as NSO undergoes restructuring. In line with the CEO leaving, the company is also looking to lay off about 100 employees before it appoints Hulio's replacement.
Engadget reported that Hulio's departure and NSO Group's restructuring comes as the Israeli firm that owns Pegasus Spyware continues to face criticism from governments and other tech companies over its spying activities. Pegasus Spyware has the capability to monitor victims and enable users to eavesdrop on conversations and even read apps with encrypted messages, NDTV reported earlier this month.
NSO Group Under Fire for Its Spying Activities
In a press release published in November 2021, the US Department of Commerce announced that its Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added NSO Group to its Entity List after they found "evidence" that the Israeli spyware company had "developed and supplied spyware to foreign governments that used these tools to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics, and embassy workers."
The Commerce Department added that such tools were used to "conduct transnational repression" to crack down on dissenting forces. Three other companies from Russia and Singapore were added to the list at the time. Also in November 2021, Apple filed a lawsuit against NSO Group to demand accountability for enabling governments to spy on its dissidents.
Read Also: Pegasus Spyware Reportedly Hacks Thai Activists and Supporters | What's The Motive?
NSO Group Confirms Working with European Countries
Earlier this month, it was revealed that NSO Group's controversial Pegasus Spyware has been largely used in the Europe Union. The spyware has at least 22 contracts in up to 12 of 27 Europe Union member states and is able to use the infected smartphone to eavesdrop in real time by operating the microphone and camera.
When questioned by representatives of the European Parliament Committee of Inquiry, Pegasus Spyware company representatives explaiend that their spyware was being used by "government clients" to spy on terrorists and other high profile criminals. But European Parliament Committee of Inquiry members were shocked to find out that Pegasus Spyware had contracts with countries in the EU.
In response to committee questions, NSO Group confirmed that 14 EU countries have done business with the Israeli spyware company in the past and at least 12 continue to use Pegasus Spyware to legally intercept mobile calls. NSO Group also confirmed that it is currently working with 22 "end users" in security and intelligence organizations as well as law enforcement authorities in 12 countries in Europe.
How Pegasus Spyware Works
Earlier this month, Apple Insider reported on an investigation that revealed rare screenshots of Pegasus Spyware as used on an iPhone. The screenshots showed a prototype version of the Israeli spyware program meant for Israel's police that were capable of reading WhatsApp messages, turning on the smartphone's microphone and even recording incoming or outgoing calls.
Back in June, reports hinted that NSO Group was cash-strapped and was at risk of being acquired by L3Harris, a US defense contractor known for the Stingray surveillance tools.
Related Article: Pegasus Spyware Detector: 4 Ways to Tell If Your Android Is Infected and How to Use Amnesty's Toolkit
