A large number of Thai democracy active supporters and workers were targeted by the controversial Israeli spyware known as Pegasus throughout the height of intense anti-government protests, based on an international digital rights group report.
Massive presentations engulfed Bangkok 2 yrs ago as hundreds called for greater civil freedoms, as well as a loosening of the strict lese-majeste laws that avoid any criticism of the monarchy.
The report by Canadian cybersecurity watchdog Resident Lab , in partnership with Thai groups iLaw and DigitalReach, discovered some 30 active supporters and workers, academics, lawyers plus NGO workers — mostly connected to city rights organisations — whose mobile devices had been affected.
“The infections occurred from October 2020 to November 2021, coinciding with a period of widespread pro-democracy protests, and predominantly targeted key figures in the pro-democracy movement, ” the report stated.
Pegasus software, created by Israeli firm NSO Team, can extract data and activate digital cameras or microphones once it has successfully entered a mobile gadget.
The report stops short of saying definitively who had been behind the use of the spyware, though it notes that NSO Group says they only sell the technology to government authorities.
In its own executive overview of the findings, the Thai NGO iLaw said : “It could be circumstantially concluded that the use of Pegasus against dissidents would be of significant benefit to the Thai government. ”
Among those focused, Citizen Lab mentioned, were the lese majeste lawyer Arnon Nampa, protest leader Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul and activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa.
Ms Panusaya is currently upon bail and facing 10 royal defamation charges, while Mr Jatupat was refused bail earlier this year after also being charged with insulting the monarchy.
Those affected were tipped off in November 2021 whenever Apple sent out the notification informing all of them their devices had been targeted by state-backed attacks.
Amnesty International, following an independent investigation, condemned the hacking.
“These new revelations are a shocking example of just how reduced authorities might stoop to control peaceful dissent, ” said technologist Etienne Maynier.
“It is worth remembering that this is only what has been found so far, and the level of surveillance tries could be bigger and more damaging. ”
It is the most recent such case from the Israeli software being used to surveil dissidents.
The particular NSO Group happens to be being sued in america by Apple, which alleges the firm’s spyware was utilized to infiltrate a number of iPhones worldwide.