EU Politician Investigating Pegasus Spyware Hacked by the Same Tool

EU Politician Investigating Pegasus Spyware Hacked by the Same Tool

In a stunning twist, Greek politician Stelios Kouloglou, who served as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2015 to 2024, was hacked with Pegasus spyware while investigating its use as part of the EU’s PEGA Committee. The revelation, published by the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, marks the first time a member of the committee has been identified as a victim of the spyware they were investigating.

The Irony of the Attack

Kouloglou, a longtime investigative journalist, was actively probing the use of Pegasus spyware against business leaders, law enforcement officials, and politicians when his iPhone was compromised. According to Citizen Lab, the hack occurred multiple times between October 2022 and March 2023, potentially exposing sensitive information about the committee’s activities and findings.

'I was not expecting that,' Kouloglou told WIRED, expressing shock and anger upon learning of the compromise. 'Me being a member of the Pegasus Committee investigating Pegasus and at the same time being hacked by Pegasus—it was something really too reckless.'

Pegasus Spyware: A Global Threat

Pegasus, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, is a powerful spyware tool that exploits vulnerabilities in iOS and Android devices to gain access to microphones, cameras, messages, contacts, and other personal data. First discovered by Citizen Lab in 2016, Pegasus has been used to target journalists, activists, and government officials worldwide.

The Citizen Lab report did not identify the entity behind the attacks on Kouloglou’s device but noted potential overlaps with attacks on Russian- and Belarusian-speaking journalists and activists between August 2020 and January 2023. The report also highlighted the lack of preparedness among European institutions to combat spyware threats.

Implications for EU Politics and Privacy

The hacking of Kouloglou’s device raises serious concerns about the security of EU parliamentary work and the confidentiality of its investigations. MEP Saskia Bricmont, a member of the PEGA Committee, described the incident as 'a direct attack on the rule of law.'

Hannah Neumann, another MEP who served on the committee, emphasized the absurdity of the situation: 'They did not only target an MEP, they spied on the investigation into spyware abuse itself.'

Calls for Stronger Protections

The incident has renewed calls for stronger protections against spyware abuse in Europe. Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton warned that 'Europe has a mountain of spyware abuses, and nothing has happened—it’s an embarrassment for European institutions.' He noted that while some countries, like the United States, have made progress in combating spyware through sanctions and other deterrents, Europe remains vulnerable.

Kouloglou and other MEPs have expressed concern that more members of the committee could have been targeted and that the group’s recommendations, including the creation of an EU-based tech lab for forensic analysis, have not been implemented.

'There is no lack of awareness of the problems that come with mercenary spyware,' said Neumann. 'It's just a matter of, can you please now do it?'