Israel: Mossad allegedly used Pegasus software to hack phones

Intelligence agency became interested in spyware when Yossi Cohen was at its head

Mossad used the Pegasus spyware to unofficially hack cellphones when Yossi Cohen was head of Israel's intelligence agency, several NSO Group employees told the Haaretz daily.

The employees, who asked to remain anonymous because of their confidentiality agreements with the company, said Mossad officials repeatedly asked NSO to hack into some phones for them, and said they didn't know why these hacks were requested.

Employees said that Mossad officials frequently visited the company's headquarters in Herzliya, sometimes to learn about the spyware, sometimes with officials from foreign countries in an attempt to sell them the software.

According to employees cited by Haaretz, under Cohen's leadership, the Mossad and NSO had close ties, and the agency opened doors for the company and marketed its products in Africa and the Middle East.

Haaretz recalled that the Mossad, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the army have their own phone hacking tools that they developed even before the creation of NSO. The company used existing tools to develop the Pegasus software, which it then sold around the world.

According to the newspaper, it is possible that the Mossad had difficulty hacking into a particular phone with its own tools or that it was engaged in unofficial intelligence gathering.

Employees who spoke to Haaretz claimed that Cohen has never been seen in NSO's offices, but his subordinates have shown great interest in the company's hacking capabilities.

Since Cohen's term ended, Mossad interest in NSO activities has waned, employees said. The agency's current director, David Barnea, has distanced himself from the company and reduced Mossad's involvement in regional affairs.

Since mid-January, the Israeli press, and in particular the economic daily Calcalist, has reported on the use of the spyware not only abroad but also in Israel, including allegations of the police taking remote control of the smartphones of Israeli citizens without a warrant.