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Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton confirms that FlexiSPY spyware was installed on two Kenyan filmmakers’ phones while the devices were in police custody.
On May 13, 2025, the Citizen Lab’s senior researcher John Scott-Railton testified before the European Union Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (‘LIBE committee’) to share findings from our recent report on the proliferation of Paragon spyware. “When we look at the pie chart of [spyware] targeting to see who was targeted […]
In the latest episode of the Distilling Cyber Policy podcast, Alex Botting and Jen Ellis from the Center for Cybersecurity Policy & Law are joined by Rebekah Brown and John Scott-Railton, senior researchers at the Citizen Lab. Together, they discuss the Citizen Lab’s “Rivers of Phish” report on sophisticated phishing targeting Russia’s perceived adversaries. The report was a collaborative investigation with Access Now alongside civil society organizations First Department, Arjuna Team, and RESIDENT.ngo.
In order to pursue justice against spyware manufacturers such as the NSO Group and the governments that use this technology, victims must overcome significant legal challenges. Speaking with CyberScoop, John Scott-Railton, senior researcher at The Citizen Lab, discusses the challenges surrounding litigation, U.S. laws, and jurisdictional issues for victims seeking remedies.
On July 27, 2022, Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton spoke before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He was invited to provide expert testimony on a hearing devoted to combatting threats to U.S. national security from the proliferation of foreign commercial spyware.