February 5, 2024 at 02:28PM
Journalists, lawyers, and activists in Jordan are targeted by state-sponsored surveillance using the Pegasus spyware app, violating privacy and freedom of expression. Jordan’s new cybercrime law has been criticized as vague and ripe for abuse, while the NSO Group, which creates Pegasus, emphasizes its role in preventing terrorism and serious crimes. Access to protection legislation for vulnerable individuals is necessary to counter surveillance technology.
The meeting notes highlight the increased surveillance faced by journalists, lawyers, and human-rights activists in Jordan, perpetrated through the controversial Pegasus spyware app. The investigation revealed that state-sponsored attackers, reportedly linked to the Jordanian government, targeted a total of 16 journalists and media staff, eight human-rights lawyers, and 11 individuals from human-rights groups and NGOs. These surveillance tactics are undermining free society and violating individuals’ rights to privacy, freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, according to Access Now’s report.
Moreover, the new law in Jordan, introduced in 2023, has been criticized for its vagueness and potential for abuse, drawing objections from the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and regional non-governmental organizations. The NSO Group’s surveillance software has been used to target critics and activists without due process, raising concerns about the lack of specific legislation to protect journalists and lawyers from intrusive cyber investigations in the Middle East.
The NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, which initially targeted iOS and Android devices, has continued to evolve and infiltrate devices through various means, including zero-click and one-click attacks, as well as sophisticated social engineering techniques such as posing as journalists to deliver malicious links. Notably, NSO Group did not confirm or deny the findings from Access Now.
While technological advancements in privacy protection are crucial, better policy is needed to curb the use of spyware and ensure additional protections for targeted individuals. It is highlighted that legislative measures should be put in place to provide transparent and efficient supervision of cyber operations by law enforcement agencies, safeguarding confidential information about investigations and ensuring due process.
In conclusion, the meeting notes emphasize the urgency for stronger policies to address the use of spyware and to uphold the rights of journalists, lawyers, and activists, while also underlining the importance of staying vigilant and keeping devices updated to bolster their defenses against cybersecurity threats.