Powerful spyware used by hackers to eavesdrop on communications and steal data has been found on a device on Downing Street, researchers said.
Experts from the Citizen Lab of the University of Toronto said that the famous Trojan horse “Pegasus” seems to have been used to target both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FCDO).
The researchers said they had identified “a number of suspected cases of Pegasus spyware infections” on devices used by UK government officials.
Several №10 mobile phones, including that of Boris Johnson, were tested after the breach in 2020, but UK officials apparently failed to find the infected device or the nature of the stolen data.
Researchers believe the cyber attack on Boris Johnson’s office came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while the identified FCDO infections appear to be linked to Pegasus’ operators in the UAE, India, Cyprus and Jordan.
Ron Dibert, director of Citizen Lab and professor of political science at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, said: “During our investigations into mercenary spyware, we will sometimes see that governments are using spyware to carry out international espionage against other governments.
“Most of these cases are beyond our scope and mission. However, in some selected cases, where appropriate and while maintaining our independence, we decide to notify these governments through official channels, especially if we believe that our actions can reduce the damage.
“We confirm that in 2020 and 2021 we monitored and notified the UK Government of a number of suspected cases of Pegasus spyware infections on the UK’s official networks.
Asked for comment by The Independent on the issue, a government spokesman said: “We do not comment on security issues.”
The allegations were first revealed in The New Yorker magazine. John Scott-Reylton, a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab, told the paper: “When we found case 10, my jaw dropped.
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