Jerusalem: Israeli Foreign Minister on Wednesday plays criticism of the Cyberespionage NSO Group state regulations but vowed to increase efforts to ensure the controversial spyware of the company did not fall into the wrong hand.
Speaking to foreign journalists, Yair Lapid said the government only had limited control over how defense exports were used by customers.
But he said that Israel was committed to enforcing and strengthening protection to prevent abuse of all types of weapons.
“We will see this again,” Lapid said.
“We will be sure, or try to ensure as far as what can be done and what is not, no one has abused whatever we sell.” NSO has found extensive criticism of reports that its flagship spyware products, Pegasus, have been misused by the government to spy on dissidenters, journalists, human rights workers and maybe even the head of state.
Pegasus can secretly infiltrate the target phone, giving users access to data, emails, contacts, and even their cameras and microphones.
NSO denied the mistake.
It was said that he sold Pegasus only to the government and only for the purpose of arresting criminals and terrorists.
The Israeli defense ministry regulates all weapons exports, including cyber products.
At the end of July, the ministry said he had sent a team to meet with NSO representatives after France said that in a state of suspicion that President Emmanuel Macron might have been targeted by Moroccan security agents using Pegasus Spyware.
Morocco has denied the allegations, and Nso said Macron’s telephone was not targeted.
Lapid, said he was aware of the “rumor” about NSO, comparing the export of cyber to the sale of traditional weapons.
He said that despite a lot of protection in its place, it was impossible to guarantee what customers would do with weapons.
“After you sell jets, cannons, pistols or missiles, or Pegasus, it is in the hands of the government that bought it,” said Lapid.
“So, we tried my best to make sure it didn’t fall into the wrong hand.
But no one has the ability to fully protect the other side after being sold.” But he said Israel worked to ensure that no one used Pegasus “against civilians or against dissidents.”