Pegasus Probe Grounded: Spanish Investigation into Israeli Spyware Stonewalled by Silence

When Spain’s most sensitive government phones were hacked, the trail led straight to Pegasus - the notorious spyware crafted by Israel’s NSO Group. But as Judge José Luis Calama chased answers across borders, he hit an impenetrable wall: Israel’s silence. This week, Spain’s quest for justice was officially shut down - not because the evidence was lacking, but because the international doors slammed shut.

Behind Closed Doors: How a Spyware Scandal Unraveled

The saga began in May 2022 when Spanish authorities discovered that the mobile phones of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Defense Minister Margarita Robles, and other high-ranking officials had been infiltrated by Pegasus. The spyware, developed by the controversial NSO Group, is infamous for its ability to penetrate devices without any user interaction - a “zero-click” attack. Evidence collected by the Spanish High Court suggested the hacks “jeopardized the security of the Spanish State.”

But uncovering the culprits proved impossible. Spain’s requests for cooperation were met with silence: Israel, which licenses Pegasus exports and is widely seen as providing cover for NSO, ignored five formal requests for judicial assistance. Judge Calama described this as a “manifest breach” of international obligations and a violation of the trust that underpins cross-border criminal investigations.

The investigation was briefly revived in April 2024 after French authorities shared details of similar Pegasus attacks on their own officials and journalists. Still, the lack of Israeli cooperation made progress unattainable. The NSO Group, whose leadership and research teams are tightly linked to Israeli intelligence, declined to comment when contacted.

This isn’t the first time NSO has been in the crosshairs: In Barcelona, three of its former executives face indictment over separate spyware attacks targeting Catalan civil society. Yet, in the case of Spain’s national leaders, the trail of digital espionage appears to have gone cold - by design or by diplomatic defiance.

Reflections on a Stalled Justice

Spain’s failed probe into Pegasus is a stark warning: even the most sophisticated cyber investigations are powerless when international cooperation collapses. As spyware becomes ever more advanced and its deployment more shadowy, the world faces a troubling question - who holds the power to investigate the spies themselves?

WIKICROOK

• Pegasus: Pegasus is advanced spyware by NSO Group that covertly accesses and controls smartphones, often used in government surveillance and intelligence operations.
• Zero: A zero-day vulnerability is a hidden security flaw unknown to the software maker, with no fix available, making it highly valuable and dangerous to attackers.
• NSO Group: NSO Group is an Israeli tech firm known for Pegasus spyware, sold to governments for surveillance, but often criticized for privacy concerns.
• International cooperation: International cooperation is when countries work together to investigate, prevent, and respond to cybercrimes that cross national boundaries.
• Military intelligence: Military intelligence gathers and analyzes information to support national defense, security, and cybersecurity, helping to prevent threats and inform military decisions.