Apple has decided to drop its lawsuit against commercial spyware vendor NSO Group, citing a shifting risk landscape that could risk revealing the security methods used to combat commercial surveillance tools.
The tech giant and iPhone maker said its efforts, coupled with other industry leaders and governments to tackle commercial spyware, have weakened the NSO Group’s capabilities. In an interview with the Washington Post, Ron Deibert, the director of The Citizen Lab, stated that “NSO Group is in a weakened position, no longer the sole player in the industry, and not nearly as formidable as they once were.”
In its motion requesting to dismiss the case, Apple highlighted the evolving landscape and growing presence of spyware firms. However, with Apple’s enhanced security measures, hackers are facing a more challenging task, according to Ron Deibert. “We believe that Apple’s notifications to users and its ongoing monitoring of NSO and other spyware vendors have been absolutely crucial in influencing global accountability and have helped highlight NSO Group’s involvement in widespread human rights violations,” says Deibert.
Read the article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/13/apple-lawsuit-nso-pegasus-spyware/