What is Pegasus Spyware and how does it hack smartphones?

According to a report, there are more than 50,000 phones targeted by the Pegasus spyware which is created by NSO Group, an Israeli software company

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Now, you are thinking of what is Pegasus Spyware, who is it for, and how does it infect devices, and what can it do? Read on to know

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A spyware is any malicious software designed to enter your computer device, gather your data, and forward it to a third-party without your consent

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Pegasus, developed by NSO Group, is the most powerful spyware ever created. It is designed to infiltrate smartphones and turn them into surveillance devices

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The Israeli company, however, markets it as a tool for targeted spying and not mass surveillance. NSO Group sells the software to governments only

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According to a 2016 price list, NSO Group charged its customers $650,000 to infiltrate 10 devices only, plus an installation fee of $500,000

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Pegasus infiltrate a device with a missed call on WhatsApp and could even delete the record. WhatsApp said Pegasus had exploited a bug in its code to infect devices

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The Pegasus spyware can also be installed over a wireless transceiver (radio transmitter and receiver) located near a target location of the device

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Once installed, Pegasus can intercept and steal more or less any information on it. It can record calls, secretly film you with camera, and track you with GPS

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