New Pegasus revelation: spy software discovered on cell phones of top French politicians

The infamous Pegasus spy program has been found on several phones of French cabinet members, according to media reports. The devices are said to have been infected in 2019 and 2020.

French media have published new findings in the espionage affair involving the Israeli company NSO Group. According to the report, the phones of at least five French cabinet members have been infected with the Pegasus Trojan, which is being developed by the controversial company.

Two representatives involved in the case, who did not want to be named, confirmed to the AFP news agency on Friday a corresponding report by the Mediapart news portal. An investigation by the IT security authority revealed that the 2019 and 2020 phones had been infected with Pegasus, Mediapart reported.

Among those affected are Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer and Housing Secretary Emmanuelle Wargon. The phone of a diplomat at the Élysée Palace was also affected, the report said.

Secretary of State changes phone

"My phone is among those that have been investigated by the IT security authority," Wargon confirmed to the online portal of the newspaper L'Opinion. However, she had not yet been informed of the result and had also changed phones in the meantime, she added.

The Pegasus spying software can access and send phone data unnoticed. Research published in July by 17 international media outlets had revealed that the phones of at least 180 journalists, 600 politicians and 85 human rights activists had been targeted for surveillance operations using the spying software.

NSO Group itself dismissed past media reports as false, calling them a "well-orchestrated media campaign." According to NSO Group, Pegasus was only intended for use against terrorists and criminals.

Several investigations are already underway in France following the media revelations. The German Federal Criminal Police Office has also purchased a stripped-down version of the controversial software.

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