Pegasus Project

www.theguardian.com • July 22, 2026

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A special investigation into NSO Group, which sells hacking spyware to governments

Massive leak uncovers global abuse of weapon of mass surveillance

A special investigation into NSO Group, which sells hacking spyware to governments

Massive leak uncovers global abuse of weapon of mass surveillance

The full story

This article is one source in a clustered incident — the cluster page carries the summary, timeline and every other outlet covering it.

Ontario Police Use Secretive Spyware, Risk Dropping Major Cases Ontario Provincial Police are employing advanced phone-hacking spyware known as on-device investigative tools (ODITs) to access suspects' smartphones. This technology allows police to download data, read encrypted messages, and activate microphones and cameras remotely. To maintain secrecy about the spyware's vendor and capabilities, police have signed agreements to abandon serious criminal cases if required to disclose information. The use of ODITs has raised significant concerns among civil liberties groups, who argue that such secrecy undermines judicial oversight. The software's first notable use was in an auto-theft investigation that resulted in 23 arrests and $9 million in recovered vehicles. Defense lawyers are challenging the constitutionality of the warrants used for these operations, citing a lack of transparency. The RCMP has stated that ODITs are rarely used, but experts highlight the high costs associated with targeting individual devices. The situation continues to evolve as legal challenges and public scrutiny mount. 5 sources 67

Extracted Entities

Attack Types (1)

Campaigns (1)

Pegasus Project

Malware (1)