Critics of Serbia’s government who have documented the country’s endemic corruption were targeted with military-grade spyware earlier this year.
The attempted hacking on the two civil society activists was ultimately not successful because both individuals’ Apple iPhones had been updated with the latest iOS software, which protected the devices from being infiltrated.
The attacks took place during the summer, when the authorities faced a series of mass protests under the ‘Serbia against violence’ banner.
The individuals were first notified by Apple of the attempted hack, which sent both an alert that they may have been targeted by a state-sponsored actor. The warning was later confirmed after investigations by researchers at Access Now, the Share Foundation in Serbia, the Citizen Lab at the Munk School at the University of Toronto, and Amnesty International.
After Apple representatives confirmed the authenticity of the alerts, the SHARE Foundation team, in collaboration with Internews, conducted a thorough analysis of the mobile devices to identify traces of spyware infection, including well-known variants such as Pegasus and Predator.
To corroborate the diagnostic and analytic data obtained, as well as secure encrypted backups of crucial device data, the SHARE Foundation engaged with international organizations Access Now and Amnesty International, known for their expertise in digital forensics.
Following a comprehensive review of the data, both organizations independently confirmed the presence of traces from a failed attack attempt that occurred on August 16, on both mobile devices.
The SHARE Foundation warns that spyware attacks on representatives of the critical public have a disastrous impact on democracy and human rights, especially in the pre-election period. The use of spyware is illegal and incompatible with democratic values.
The researchers in the Serbian case could not confirm what kind of spyware was used because available forensic indicators were limited.
The Serbian government did not respond to requests for comment.
Image Credits : OCCRP
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