French president may also have been targeted by Pegasus spyware

French President Emmanuel Macron’s phone may also have been targeted by the Pegasus spyware. The telephone number of the president and that of several other members of the French government are said to be on a list of possible targets of NSO clients.

It was previously announced that France is investigating the use of the spy software against a number of French journalists and activists. According to Le monde the French president has also been a possible target. His number is said to have been discovered among the more than 50,000 phone numbers targeted for surveillance with the controversial Pegasus software.

Le Monde is one of 17 news organizations jointly investigating the use of Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights activists and politicians. The Israeli company’s software allows people to be eavesdropped on their smartphone and tracked remotely. Messages can also be intercepted.

The NSO Group still denies that its software is used to spy on people who are not suspected of criminal activity or terrorism. Morocco and Hungary named as countries that would have used the software against public figures. Both countries deny using the software.