Apple sues Israeli spyware firm NSO Group for surveillance of users

Apple has launched a lawsuit against NSO Group, the Israeli spyware company that was recently blacklisted by the Biden administration for acting “contrary to the foreign policy and national security interests of the US”, reported by The Guardian.

The move marks a sharp turnaround for the technology giant, which previously downplayed the threat posed by the spyware, and underscores growing concern and frustration among technology companies about the proliferation of attacks against its customers.

In its complaint, Apple said that NSO’s signature spyware, called Pegasus, had been used to “attack a small number of Apple users worldwide with malicious malware and spyware”.
 

Apple’s lawsuit is also seeking damages from NSO for its alleged “flagrant violations of US federal and state law, arising out of its efforts to target and attack Apple and its users”.

The news marked the latest in a string of negative developments for the company. On Tuesday, Moody’s Investors Service announced that NSO was facing a growing risk of default on about $500m of debt following the Biden administration’s decision to blacklist the company. The credit rating firm cut the company’s rating by two notches to Caa2, or eight levels below investment grade.