Israel’s surveillance industry is one of the most advanced and prolific in the world. A unique environment of legal enablement, partnerships between private firms and the Israeli military, and the availability of Palestinians as free test subjects has allowed the country to become a world leader in surveillance tech exports.

With around twenty-seven surveillance companies, Israel has one of the biggest clusters of such manufacturers in relation to its size. The NSO Group’s Pegasus is a sophisticated form of spyware categorized as a military export by the Israeli state and only sold with its express permission. Like other surveillance manufacturers, the company is licensed by Israel’s Ministry of Defense.

Pegasus is especially dangerous because it can be planted secretly, giving the attacker total control over a victim’s mobile phone. It effectively undermines all the modern security features like encryption and turns a smartphone into a smart listening device. It can also copy messages, photos, and emails as well as recording calls.