Former European Parliament member Stelios Kouloglou was targeted by Pegasus spyware while serving on a committee investigating the illegal use of the surveillance tool across the European Union.

Key Points

• Citizen Lab confirmed that Kouloglou’s iPhone was infected with Pegasus spyware at least three times between 2022 and 2023.
• The breaches occurred while Kouloglou served on the PEGA Committee, which was established to investigate the misuse of surveillance software in the EU.
• Pegasus is developed by the Israeli-based NSO Group, a company previously blacklisted by the United States for acting against national security interests.
• Forensic analysis revealed the infections took place while the former MEP was located in Athens and Brussels.
• Apple provided threat notifications to Kouloglou regarding the potential breaches months after the actual intrusions occurred.

Why it Matters

The targeting of a lawmaker tasked with investigating surveillance highlights a significant vulnerability in democratic oversight and the integrity of parliamentary proceedings. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges regulators face in curbing the commercial spyware market and protecting officials from sophisticated digital threats.