Targeted Threats
Back to ResearchInvestigations into the prevalence and impact of digital espionage operations against civil society groups.
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CBC: WhatsApp Attributes Hack of 1,400 Users to NSO Group Technology
Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton discusses why WhatsApp is suing NSO Group after discovering their spyware was used to target 1,400 users—100 of whom were members of civil society—and why this is a significant bellwether.
Latest Research
Reckless V: Director of Mexican Anti-Corruption Group Targeted with NSO Group’s Spyware
Claudio X. González, the director of Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad (MCCI: Mexicans Against Impunity and Corruption), becomes the 22nd known individual abusively targeted with NSO’s spyware technology in Mexico.
Protect your Digital Presence with Secure Accounts
Citizen Lab, along with partners Open Effect, the University of New Mexico, and comic book artist Jason Li, have launched Secure Accounts as a free resource to help users better understand potential threats to their online identities and the steps they can take to protect themselves.
Reported Blackstone NSO Deal Failure and the Risks of Investing in Spyware Companies
The purchase of a $400 million stake in spyware company NSO Group by Blackstone Group LP has reportedly fallen through. Reports of the deal attracted critical attention from a range of organizations, including Mexican NGOs involved in investigating NSO, Access Now, and Business and Human Rights.
Reckless IV: Lawyers for Murdered Mexican Women’s Families Targeted with NSO Spyware
Lawyers representing the families of three slain Mexican women were sent infection attempts with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware after questioning official accounts of the killings.
Open Letter to Blackstone Group: Human Rights Concerns and Risks with Potential NSO Acquisition
Covers possible due diligence failures at NSO Group, misuse by several customers, and an ongoing investigation by the Mexican Government.