Recent findings by security experts reveal that a European politician’s phone was breached using the Pegasus spyware while he was part of a committee investigating the misuse of this invasive surveillance tool. The incident has sparked renewed debate over the misuse of spyware by governments to spy on their opponents.
Researchers from The Citizen Lab, a digital rights group based at the University of Toronto, have confirmed that the phone of Stelios Kouloglou, a Greek journalist and former politician, was compromised between 2022 and 2023. This incident marks the first documented case of a member of the European Parliament’s PEGA committee—charged with examining surveillance abuses—being identified as a spyware victim.
In a conversation with TechCrunch, Kouloglou characterized the hacking of his phone as “reckless.” Another current European parliament member labeled the breach as a “direct assault on the rule of law,” urging the European Commission to enforce strict regulations on spyware usage across the 27 EU member states.
Although targeted spyware attacks on lawmakers are uncommon, the nature and timing of this incident suggest an acute interest in the committee’s activities, especially ahead of a highly anticipated report summarizing its findings. This raises significant concerns regarding the use of spyware, which is often justified under the guise of combating serious crime but has been shown to encroach upon the privacy of journalists, officials, and dissenters.
While The Citizen Lab did not specifically assign blame for the phone hack to any single nation, the researchers indicated that the hacker utilized the same Pegasus-loaded email that was previously involved in attacks on journalists across Europe. The identity of the responsible party remains unknown, but the reuse of this specific email suggests that the attacker had the authorization from NSO Group to deploy its spyware across several European nations.
A representative from the European Commission did not respond to TechCrunch’s inquiry for comments, nor did NSO Group provide an answer regarding The Citizen Lab’s findings before the report’s release.
The report revealed that Kouloglou’s phone was hacked in October 2022 and at least twice in March 2023, exploiting a vulnerability in Apple’s iPhone software. This flaw had been patched, but the update was not applied to Kouloglou’s device. The attack employed a “zero-click” exploit, which allowed the spyware to infiltrate and gather information from his phone without any action required from him.
The hacking in October 2022 coincided with intensive discussions via email and messaging during that period, as the committee was formulating a draft report addressing spyware abuses in Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Spain.
Additionally, the timing of the hack aligns with Kouloglou’s hospitalization for a scheduled surgery, potentially granting the spy operators access to sensitive conversations regarding his medical care and interactions with visitors during this time.
Later, on March 6 and 7, Citizen Lab reported that Kouloglou’s phone was again compromised while he was traveling from Athens to Brussels amidst committee hearings, prior to the committee’s finalization of their report.
Kouloglou told TechCrunch that he was uncertain about why he was specifically targeted and believes his involvement in the investigation of Pegasus misuse contributed to his vulnerability.
Expressing his outrage upon discovering the breach, he remarked, “You realize that all of your personal data was taken—not just professional communications but also very private moments, both joyful and sorrowful.”
Kouloglou intends to pursue legal action against NSO Group, the Israeli-based company responsible for the spyware. The firm has faced significant restrictions in the United States following an executive order from the Biden administration prohibiting the use of spyware that breaches human rights.
Last year, NSO acknowledged receiving significant financial support from an unnamed American investment group, likely part of efforts to rehabilitate their tarnished reputation linked to human rights violations.
Kouloglou stated that he is sharing his story to advocate for democracy, human rights, and the fight against corruption, asserting, “Corruption concerns everyone.”
