London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

No 10 network targeted with spyware, says group

No 10 network targeted with spyware, says group

Downing Street and Foreign Office computer systems were suspected to have been infected with spyware, according to a Canadian investigative group.

Citizen Lab says it informed officials that suspected Pegasus spyware was discovered in 2020 and 2021, with the Downing Street incident linked to operators in the UAE.

Pegasus is sold by NSO Group to governments to carry out surveillance through infecting phones with malicious software.

The Israeli-based company has denied the allegations, saying they are false and could not have taken place.

The Citizen Lab, which tracks electronic surveillance, said in 2020 and 2021 it notified the UK government that networks belonging to both 10 Downing Street and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were suspected to have been infected using Pegasus spyware.

Pegasus allows governments to take control of people's phones, extract data and carry out surveillance.

NSO Group has always defended its use, saying it is only sold to selected governments for legitimate law enforcement and intelligence purposes, such as against criminals or terrorists.

The latest claims are linked to an investigation by the New Yorker magazine which looked at the targeting of individuals campaigning for Catalan independence from Spain.

The High Court ruled the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed hacked his ex-wife's phone using NSO spyware


The Citizen Lab said it identified at least 65 individuals targeted or infected, including members of the European Parliament, Catalan presidents, legislators, jurists, and members of civil society organisations.

The New Yorker said that in the UK a number of official phones were tested including those of the prime minister, but it was not possible to establish which device was infected or what - if any data - was taken.

The Citizen Lab said the suspected Foreign Office infections were believed to be linked to operators of Pegasus in the United Arab Emirates, India, Cyprus and Jordan.

It said these could have been related to staff serving abroad and using overseas SIM cards, similar to the way US diplomats were reportedly hacked in Uganda. NSO Group has said that US phone numbers cannot be targeted.

The Citizen Lab said it believed the Downing Street suspected infection was linked to the United Arab Emirates.

Previous investigations by a consortium of journalists claimed that around 400 UK phone numbers appeared in a leaked list of numbers linked to NSO Group between 2017 and 2019, with the UAE alleged to be behind the largest number.

NSO Group reportedly ended its contract with the UAE last year after reports that Pegasus had been used by the ruler of Dubai, part of the UAE, to hack his ex-wife's phone amongst others, claims he denied.

Globally, activists, journalists and politicians were on the list of potential targets, although the Israeli-based company disputed the interpretation of the leaked material.

It was placed on a US Department of Commerce blacklist following the reports last year which restricted its access to US technology.

In response to the latest claims, a spokesperson for the UK government said it did not routinely comment on security matters.

A spokesperson for NSO Group said: "The information raised regarding these allegations are, yet again, false and could not be related to NSO products for technological and contractual reasons.

"NSO continues to be targeted by a number of politically motivated advocacy organizations, like Citizens Labs and Amnesty, to produce inaccurate and unsubstantiated reports based on vague and incomplete information.

"We have repeatedly co-operated with governmental investigations, where credible allegations merit."

The UAE Embassy in London has been approached for comment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
×