Apple to Drop Pegasus Lawsuit to Conceal Its Spyware-Fighting Tech

In a surprising twist, Apple is dropping its age-old legal tussle with Israeli spyware maker NSO Group to avoid having to disclose the threat intelligence it has developed to fight spyware.

As originally reported by The Washington Post, Apple’s change of heart comes as the industry’s battle against spyware has spawned ever-more entities dealing in commercial spyware eager to develop evasive techniques and anonymization for prospecting buyers.

However, the biggest reason is in fact its own crusade against spyware. To defend themselves, both parties would have to make numerous technological disclosures in court – some of which, Apple believes, will hinder its long-term efforts to fight the spyware threat targeting its iOS devices.

Exposure of threat intel

According to the report, arguments made in court could expose critical “threat intelligence” gathered by Apple over the years.

Apple is therefore willing to drop the lawsuit to conceal the precious threat intel and the technologies it has developed to fight spyware.

NSO Group’s Pegasus is a notoriously potent piece of malware state actors use to infect the phones of high-profile targets, including political adversaries, free speech advocates, activists, and dissidents.

The Israeli firm has historically defended itself by saying it develops its spyware to give law enforcement the tools to fight dangerous criminals, such as terrorists.

“Unfortunately, other malicious actors have arisen in the commercial spyware industry,” an Apple spokesperson said. “It is because of this combination of factors that Apple now seeks voluntary dismissal of this case.”

“While Apple continues to believe in the merits of its claims, it has also determined that proceeding further with this case has the potential to put vital security information at risk,” the spokesperson added, according to the Post’s report.

Apple has noticeably slowed its pace of update cycles in the past year, suggesting it indeed has found other ways to fend off spyware makers’ efforts to dig for weaknesses in iOS.

New sanctions against commercial spyware vendors

In related news, the US Department of State has announced new sanctions on five individuals and one entity associated with the Intellexa Consortium, for their role in developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology used to target Americans, including US government officials, journalists, and policy experts.

Intellexa has been described as an alliance of entities focused on developing and distributing another powerful spyware tool known as Predator.

“The United States will not tolerate the misuse of technologies that undermine Americans’ national security or that of our allies, nor will we tolerate the misuse of technologies to perpetrate human rights abuses or undermine freedom of expression,” the State Department said.

The designations build upon sanctions announced March 5, among other accountability measures, including export controls and visa restrictions.

How to keep spyware at bay

Bitdefender recommends you keep your devices up to date with the latest security patches issued by the vendor as the first important step against spyware – especially if you consider yourself a target. Apple and Google issue periodic security updates designed to patch vulnerabilities exploitable in malware attacks.

For peace of mind, run a dedicated security solution on all your personal devices.

On iOS and macOS, keep the trusty Lockdown Mode toggle handy whenever you believe hackers might be targeting you.

Check out our comprehensive guide “How Spyware Infects Smartphones and How to Defend Against It” to learn more about the spyware threat and how to stay protected.