Colombia to investigate police purchase of Pegasus spyware

Colombian police paid an Israeli firm $11m in cash for the spyware, Colombia's president revealed.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersColombia to investigate police purchase of Pegasus spywareReutersPresident Gustavo Petro says he could be among those who were spied on with the softwareColombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered an investigation into the purchase of Pegasus spy software by the country's police force.

President Petro said the spyware was bought - in cash - from an Israeli surveillance firm during the government of his predecessor, Iván Duque.

He added that the software, which can be installed remotely on mobile phones to access people's microphones and cameras, may have been used to spy on political rivals, including himself.

The president's remarks were the first official confirmation that Colombia was among the countries which bought the phone malware.

Pegasus software infects iPhones and Android devices to enable operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones and cameras.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg5en18qvxo

---