Does Your Phone Have Pegasus Malware? Here's How to Know for Sure
Pegasus Malware is a piece of spyware typically licensed to governments across the globe. Developed by the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO Group, this malware has affected thousands of mobile phones worldwide, according to reports from Amnesty International. The news about Pegasus Malware naturally wreaked havoc among mobile users worldwide because the spyware allows a third party to read correspondence, hear conversations, see photos and other private data, and completely control your phone. In this article, we will discuss how to know whether your phone is infected with Pegasus Malware and how to protect your mobile device from being infected.
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Who Created Pegasus Malware and What Is It Used For?
NSO Group, the Israeli cybersecurity company, created the Pegasus Malware. It is surveillance software used for espionage purposes. The malware is designed to infiltrate mobile devices through a malicious link sent via text message or email. Once the user clicks the link, the malware gains access to personal data, including messages, call logs, and contacts. The malware has been used to target human rights activists, journalists, politicians, and government agencies.
What Are the Signs of Infection?
It can be challenging to detect if your mobile device has been infected with Pegasus Malware. However, some signs may show that your device has been affected. These include:
- Unusual battery drain
- Unusual data usage
- Unusual app and network activity
- Slow device performance
- Access to messages and data without authorization
If you notice any of these signs, you must take prompt action to protect your device and personal data.
How to Detect Pegasus Malware Using the Mobile Verification Toolkit
The Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT) is a tool developed by Amnesty International that can be used to detect Pegasus Malware on mobile devices. This Amnesty International's toolkit can extract data from the device and analyze it for signs of infection. It can also detect if the device has been targeted by malware in the past.
MVT is available on GitHub free of charge. So, if you suspect that the Pegasus spyware may have sneaked into your iOS or Android phone, this is the place to go. However, there’s a catch: you need to compile a device-specific MVT using a macOS or a Linux-based machine. MS Windows PCs won’t do the job.
When launched, the MVT utility should scan your phone data and download a backup copy on your compiling machine. Then, it will review your data transfer logs for any indicators of compromise. Once it has completed the scan, the MTV utility will tell you whether you've become subject to targeted surveillance. Remember, Pegasus spyware is a powerful tool used by government agencies predominantly to spy on foreign leaders, other governments, and broadly popular officials. Given its insane price tag — a Pegasus license may go as high as a few hundred thousand USD — it usually targets people of high public interest, such as senior state officials and famous business leaders. Nevertheless, you can never know when you may end up on a list of suspects like the one outlined above.
Although you may not think you can become a potential target for an espionage attack, you must stay vigilant and keep your device updated with the latest security features. This way, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to dangerous malware infections. Bear in mind that Pegasus Malware is just one of the many infections out there, and the consequences of such a spyware attack can be severe. So, protect your data and privacy today.