US restricts exports to Pegasus-maker NSO Group for misuse of spyware by foreign govts

Amid Pegasus snoopgate controversy that rocked world, US placed NSO Group on  'Entity List' for indulging in malicious cyber activities.  controversy came to fore when French non-profit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International accessed a leaked database of 50,000 phone numbers that were allegedly targeted by Pegasus spyware developed by NSO Group. latest move by US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security on Wednesday imposes restrictions on exports and in-country transfer of items to this firm from US organizations. 

Without specifically naming Pegasus, it affirmed that Israel-based companies NSO Group and Candiru developed and supplied spyware to foreign governments that used se tools to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspersons, activists, acemics, and embassy workers. It ded, "se tools have also enabled foreign governments to conduct transnational repression, which is practice of authoritarian governments targeting dissidents, journalists and activists outside of ir sovereign borders to silence dissent.  Such practices threaten rules-based international order". 

Supreme Court orders probe

As per media reports, Pegasus spyware also targeted over 300 Indian mobile numbers including that of 40 journalists, businesspersons, one constitutional authority, three opposition leers and two sitting Ministers in Union government. Moreover, leaked database allegedly contained numbers of activists who are accused and incarcerated in Bhima Koregaon case. However, presence of a phone number in database is not a confirmation of wher corresponding device was infected with Pegasus or was subject to an attempted hack.

On October 27, Supreme Court bench led by CJI formed a technical committee to probe Pegasus snoopgate charges.  Maintaining that privacy is important for all citizens, CJI affirmed that restrictions can be imposed only to safeguard national security. Stressing that surveillance affects rights of people, he opined that this technology may have a chilling effect on freedom of press.

technical committee will comprise three members- National Forensic Sciences University Dean Dr Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham professor Dr Prabhakaran P and IIT Bombay professor Dr Ashwin Anil Gumaste. functioning of this committee will be overseen by retired Supreme Court judge RV Raveendran and will be assisted by ex-IPS officer Alok Joshi and cyber security expert Dr Sundeep Oberoi. panel has been directed to prepare report after a thorough inquiry and place its report before SC expeditiously.