An iPhone belonging to a staffer at a Washington-based civil society organization was hacked remotely with spyware created by Israel’s NSO Group.

Love the Israeli government investigating themselves essentially for misuse. No conflicts of interest there!

In October 2018, Associated Press reported that two Citizen Lab researchers were being pursued by undercover operatives with false identities. The undercover agents had been inquiring about their work involving NSO Group, and also appeared to be trying to goad the researchers into making anti-Semitic or otherwise damaging remarks. After growing suspicious, one researcher contacted AP reporters. Together, they managed to arrange a sting during a meeting with a suspected undercover operative at a hotel luncheon with AP journalists secretly awaiting nearby; after the journalists approached the operative to question him, the operative fled, bumping into chairs and circling the room as he tried to get away. There also appeared to be two additional undercover operatives in the room. The operative that met the researcher appeared to be filming the researcher with a hidden camera during the meeting, and one of the operatives standing nearby appeared to be recording the meeting as well. The operative was later identified as a former Israeli security official. Responding to the AP report, NSO denied any involvement. It was later also uncovered that the identified undercover agent had previously worked on a case linked to the Israeli private intelligence agency Black Cube; NSO Group subsequently denied contracting Black Cube, and Black Cube denied involvement as well.[74]

In February 2019, Associated Press reported that at least four more individuals - three lawyers involved in lawsuits against NSO Group for alleged sales of NSO spyware to governments with poor human rights records, and one journalist who had been covering said litigation - were being pursued by undercover operatives for their work on NSO. Undercover agents again tried to goad the individuals into making racist or anti-Israel remarks. Two of the individuals were surreptitiously recorded by the undercover operatives. Channel 12, an Israeli television channel, obtained and aired the secret recordings made by the undercover operatives shortly before the AP published the revelations.[75] Channel 12 claimed the two individuals were attempting to smear NSO Group on behalf of Qatar.[76] Channel 12 also confirmed that Black Cube undercover investigators were involved.[76][75].

From Wikipedia. Using allegations of anti-Semitism to target critics and investigators.

In reporting the latest breach, Citizen Lab recommended “everyone who may face increased risk because of who they are or what they do to enable Lockdown Mode” on their devices. Lockdown Mode severely restricts apps and features on a person’s phone — for example blocking most message attachments.

Does that work if Pegasus or similar has already been installed though?

A civil society NGO in Washington that was hacked by an sanctioned Israeli company that Citizens Lab didn't disclose the identity off? I mean it has to be a Palestinian rights group.

I thought iphones werre private.