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In relation to the Pegasus reports, which revealed that the spyware made by the Israeli cyberweapons company NSO Group was used by governments for surveillance, the first arrest has been made in Mexico. A businessman has been charged with using the Pegasus spyware to spy on a journalist.
The businessman has not formally been named by Mexican prosecutors.
With about 15,000 phone numbers, Mexico had the largest list among more than 50,000 reportedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance, The Guardian reported.
The president himself had called the alleged use of the spyware “shameful” and stated that his own government would forbid using Pegasus.
As per reports the man was linked to a company that served as a mediator between the NSO Group and Mexican authorities.
Meanwhile, a NSO spokesperson reiterated that NSO’s technologies are only sold to vetted and approved government entities, and cannot be operated by private companies or individuals.
Mexican authorities stated that the country has spent about $300 million in government contracts to buy spyware in the past.
(With inputs from The Guardian.)
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