UK government says 100 countries have spyware that can hack people’s phones

Britain's top cybersecurity official warns that over 100 nations now possess sophisticated phone-hacking spyware, a threat underestimated by UK businesses and infrastructure. | Contesto: cronaca

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• UK government says 100 countries have spyware that can hack people’s phones

Contesto

The head of the United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a stark warning that more than 100 countries are now in possession of sophisticated commercial spyware capable of remotely hacking into individuals' mobile phones. The disclosure, made by the cybersecurity chief in a public statement, underscores a dramatic proliferation of powerful surveillance technology among state actors, posing a direct and underestimated threat to UK businesses and critical national infrastructure. This proliferation means the tools for intrusive digital espionage, once the preserve of a handful of advanced intelligence agencies, are now widely accessible on the global market. The spyware in question, often developed by private firms and sold under license, can infect a target's smartphone without any interaction from the user, granting the operator complete access to messages, emails, microphone, and camera. The NCSC chief emphasized that UK organizations are not fully appreciating the scale and sophistication of this threat, which extends beyond traditional cybercrime to state-sponsored espionage and surveillance. The warning places the UK's alert within a growing international chorus of concern over the mercenary spyware industry. High-profile cases involving software like Pegasus, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, have demonstrated its use against journalists, human rights activists, lawyers, and political dissidents worldwide. The NCSC's statement reframes this issue not merely as a human rights concern abroad, but as a direct national security and economic risk to the UK itself, where key industries and essential services could be targeted. The implications for corporate security are profound. Executives, engineers, and officials traveling to or communicating with individuals in dozens of countries now face a heightened risk of their devices being compromised. Such breaches can lead to the theft of intellectual property, sensitive negotiation strategies, and security details for critical infrastructure like energy grids and transportation networks. The cybersecurity chief's message is clear: standard corporate cybersecurity defenses are often...

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Categoria: cronaca