CIA used Pegasus in deception op to rescue downed US airman in Iran - Times
- 29 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Source: Iran Intl
The CIA used Pegasus spyware to carry out a deception campaign in Iran during an effort to rescue a downed US airman in Iran after his F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by an Iranian shoulder-launched missile, The Times of London reported.
According to the report, the agency used the Israeli-made software to send fake messages to Iranian leadership and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives claiming the missing officer had already been found.
Pegasus, developed by the Israeli-founded NSO Group, is widely known for enabling operators to infiltrate mobile devices to eavesdrop on communications and harvest data. It can also send messages via platforms such as WhatsApp or Signal that appear to originate from the compromised device, the report said.
What is Pegsus?
Pegasus is a highly sophisticated, Israeli-developed spyware created by NSO Group that can covertly infect iOS and Android devices via zero-click attacks, allowing total access to data, messages, and camera/microphone. While intended for anti-terrorism use, reports suggest its widespread abuse by governments to target journalists and activists.
CIA Usage: Reports indicate the CIA purchased and used Pegasus software in foreign operations, including a specific deception operation to track Tehran officials.
Capabilities: Pegasus is a "zero-click" tool, meaning it can infect phones without the user clicking any links, often through missed calls or silent exploits. It can extract encrypted messages, photos, call logs, and activate the microphone and camera.
Controversy & Bans: The US Department of Commerce blacklisted NSO Group in 2021, citing evidence of its misuse against human rights activists and journalists, noting it threatened national security interests.
Origin: The software is designed in Israel and requires Israeli Ministry of Defense export licenses, with creators often coming from specialized Israeli intelligence units.
Screenshots from Pegasus...(source: AppleInsider)
