Research by iVerify is shedding light on the growing rise of high-powered spyware. As per the report, spyware might be more frequently present on victims’ devices than what was previously believed.
The study adds that many devices were scanned to see if spyware infections were growing or not. Shockingly, Pegasus spyware was present in more than 2500 user devices who took part in the study. On average, out of 1000 scams, 2.5 devices were infected. This rate is much greater than any published reports featured inside a blog post.
It’s still a very alarming rate as explained by the COO for a small group that decided to self-participate in this study. The findings are clear that commercial spyware is more common than what was once perceived. Even if the research showcased a much lower infection rate, given the narrative shown above, spyware is on the horizon.
People need to understand that it’s not only an issue for those who were forced to do it by law or anyone related to the media. It’s a common prevailing concern that needs to be considered.
More findings showed how seven of the infections took place outside the US. This stands true of the claims released by the Pegasus spyware which adds that numbers outside America can’t be targeted. Most were spread through the Middle East, EU, and nations located in the Southern Hemisphere that we commonly call the Global South.
All the victims were journalists and activists. They are also business leaders who aren’t too keen on issues like politics. Moreover, the scans gave rise to threat signatures from different places that study spyware like the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab.
Those infections arose between the years 2021 and 2023. This study took place in May of 2024. All of these infections left so many traces including file names unique to Pegasus and failed to delineate when and if spyware was ever active on any phone or device.
Image: DIW-Aigen
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The study adds that many devices were scanned to see if spyware infections were growing or not. Shockingly, Pegasus spyware was present in more than 2500 user devices who took part in the study. On average, out of 1000 scams, 2.5 devices were infected. This rate is much greater than any published reports featured inside a blog post.
It’s still a very alarming rate as explained by the COO for a small group that decided to self-participate in this study. The findings are clear that commercial spyware is more common than what was once perceived. Even if the research showcased a much lower infection rate, given the narrative shown above, spyware is on the horizon.
People need to understand that it’s not only an issue for those who were forced to do it by law or anyone related to the media. It’s a common prevailing concern that needs to be considered.
More findings showed how seven of the infections took place outside the US. This stands true of the claims released by the Pegasus spyware which adds that numbers outside America can’t be targeted. Most were spread through the Middle East, EU, and nations located in the Southern Hemisphere that we commonly call the Global South.
All the victims were journalists and activists. They are also business leaders who aren’t too keen on issues like politics. Moreover, the scans gave rise to threat signatures from different places that study spyware like the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab.
Those infections arose between the years 2021 and 2023. This study took place in May of 2024. All of these infections left so many traces including file names unique to Pegasus and failed to delineate when and if spyware was ever active on any phone or device.
Read next: Malvertising Scams Skyrocket: How Fraudulent Ads Are Targeting Millions Worldwide
