Polish Investigators Say Spyware Maker Kept Full Access to Pegasus System Used on Opposition Figures

Polish investigators say the spyware maker behind Pegasus had technical access to data gathered from opposition leaders and other victims. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who ordered the investigation, called the operation run by the previous ruling party "one of the biggest scandals in Polish history since the fall of communism." He also accused Israel-based NSO Group of collaborating with Israeli intelligence services. NSO Group did not respond to a request for comment.

According to Poland's National Prosecutor's Office, an analysis by the Internal Security Agency found the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, which ran the program, "did not have full control over the Pegasus system." The server module that infects mobile devices stayed under the manufacturer's exclusive control, and the bureau lacked passwords for many administrator accounts. Collected data was sent outside Poland through an anonymising network using foreign servers. Updates and support were delivered through a remote connection, and prosecutors said the manufacturer had full access to the system, including the ability to change its software and configuration.

Prosecutors stressed that they cannot say whether NSO actually obtained material from specific operations. In February 2024, Tusk's government said Pegasus had been used against a "very long" list of victims, including his wife and daughter, with more than 500 other people targeted and in some cases infected.