Zimbabwe: Mnangagwa Government Purchases Israeli Spy Software

The error-prone administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa reportedly acquired a controversial mobile phone snooping device for use by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIO) in 2019 from Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group. rice field.

The revelation targets opposition politicians, rights activists, and journalists, with governments openly interested in snooping on mobile phones by enacting legislation that enables them, especially for the 2023 general elections. Raised concern about what was happening.

Mobile malware allows state spy agents to track mobile activity without the user’s knowledge and consent.

It can also break into applications such as WhatsApp with end-to-end encryption.

The Israeli company was under investigation and the results were leaked over the weekend to global media powers such as the Guardian, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

Investigations have primarily revealed that rights activists, journalists and lawyers around the world are being targeted by phone malware sold to authoritarian governments by Israeli surveillance companies.

A malware named Pegasus allegedly infects iPhone and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones.

Intelligence sources said in an off-record briefing to NewZimbabwe.com on Monday that the equipment was acquired in 2015 to reinforce what was procured from China.

“In 2015, the organization acquired similar equipment from China and has been using it ever since, but in late 2019 the government purchased another software from an Israeli-based company to complement it. The one from Israel came from China. “