Austria's Connection to Pegasus Spyware

PeopleOther ♦ Published: November 10, 2022; 16:58 ♦ (Vindobona)

Governments of EU member states have used spyware against their citizens for political purposes, according to a draft report by the European Parliament's Committee of Inquiry (PEGA) published today in Brussels. European Union member states are widely using the controversial Pegasus spy software. Corresponding indications exist for Poland, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus and Spain, it said. There are also links to Austria.

Former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has close ties to the founder of the NSO Group that produced the Spyware called Pegasus. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Dragan Tatic

Specifically, the report on Austria says former Interior Minister and current Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) responded in writing to questions from the National Council that Austria is not a customer of NSO, the Israeli technology company that makes the Pegasus spyware software.

"But former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has close ties to the founder of the NSO Group, and DSIRF…