Spyware Scandal: Politician Hacked Amid Investigation into Pegasus Abuse

TL;DR

• Former Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou was hacked at least three times between October 2022 and March 2023 using Pegasus spyware while he served on the EU's "Pega" committee investigating abusive surveillance.
• The breach was confirmed by Citizen Lab, a Canadian tech watchdog, revealing that Kouloglou's phone was infected by NSO Group's software despite his role in scrutinizing the industry.
• This incident marks the first time Pegasus has been detected on a device belonging to a member of the EU's investigative commission, sparking urgent debates over privacy, security, and the lack of oversight in the global spyware market.

Spyware Scandal: Politician Hacked Amid Investigation into Pegasus Abuse

Imagine the sheer audacity of the situation: a politician tasked with exposing the dark secrets of the global spyware industry is himself swallowed by the very monster he sought to cage. Stelios Kouloglou, a Greek television journalist-turned-lawmaker and former member of the European Parliament, recently discovered that his phone was infected with Pegasus spyware. The irony is not just poetic; it is a terrifying indictment of the current security landscape.

Kouloglou served as a substitute on the "Pega" committee, a special parliamentary inquiry launched in 2022 to investigate the abusive use of spyware within the European Union. While he was diligently working to uncover how governments and private entities were weaponizing surveillance tools, his own device was compromised by the Israeli-made Pegasus software, distributed by NSO Group. The breach occurred at least three times between October 2022 and March 2023, a period when Kouloglou was deeply embedded in the committee's proceedings.

How the Discovery Was Made

The revelation came not from a routine security audit, but from a moment of "curiosity." In May 2026, Kouloglou decided to inspect his phone, suspecting it might be compromised. He handed the device over to Citizen Lab, the renowned Canadian internet watchdog group at the University of Toronto that specializes in tracking electronic surveillance.

Citizen Lab's forensic analysis confirmed Kouloglou's suspicions. The lab found distinct traces indicating that his phone had been hacked multiple times. The data showed that the infection was not a one-off glitch but a sustained campaign by operators using Pegasus. This is the first time the spyware has been identified on a device belonging to a member of the very commission designed to hunt it down. Kouloglou himself expressed disbelief, stating, "Imagine the scandal if we had discovered this back then!" referring to the critical period when the committee was drafting its initial reports.

The Pegasus Tool: A Weapon of the Elite

To understand the gravity of this breach, one must understand the tool itself. Pegasus is a sophisticated, "zero-click" spyware capable of remotely installing on mobile devices (both iPhones and Android) without the user pressing a link. Once installed, it grants operators total access: retrieving messages, photos, and emails; recording conversations; and covertly activating microphones and cameras to spy on the target in real-time.

Developed by NSO Group, Pegasus is marketed exclusively to government agencies, requiring a license for export due to its weapon-like nature. Despite these restrictions, reports indicate it has been used to target over 1,000 individuals across 50 countries, including activists, journalists, and political figures. The software's ability to bypass security measures and operate silently makes it one of the most dangerous tools in the digital arsenal.

A Global Pattern of Abuse

Kouloglou's hacking is not an isolated event; it is part of a disturbing global pattern where those who speak out against surveillance are the primary targets. Recent investigations have uncovered similar breaches involving high-profile figures:

• Spain: The cellphones of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles were infected with Pegasus in 2021, an unauthorized act by foreign operators that triggered a massive political crisis.
• Poland: Senator Krzysztof Brejza was hacked multiple times in 2019 while leading the opposition's election campaign.
• Colombia: The police department purchased Pegasus for $11 million total, allegedly to spy on political adversaries, including President Gustavo Petro.
• Israel: Dozens of prominent Israelis, including a son of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were hacked by police using Pegasus without judicial approval.
• France: President Emmanuel Macron and several of his ministers were reportedly targeted.

The list of potential targets, leaked to major news outlets, contains up to 50,000 phone numbers, suggesting a vast, unregulated network of surveillance clients.

Implications for Privacy and Security

The hacking of Kouloglou sends a chilling message to the principles of democracy and privacy. If a member of a parliamentary committee investigating spyware abuse can be so easily compromised, it raises the question: who is truly safe?

The breach highlights a critical failure in the oversight of the spyware industry. NSO Group claims to sell only to "vetted governments," yet the evidence suggests the technology is being used for illicit, unauthorized surveillance that violates national laws and international human rights standards. The fact that the spyware reached a device within the EU's own investigative body suggests that the "vetting" process is either flawed or deliberately ignored by rogue operators.

Furthermore, this incident underscores the vulnerability of digital privacy. As surveillance tools become more sophisticated, the barrier between public and private life erodes. The ability of spyware to activate cameras and microphones without user interaction means that the concept of a "private space" is increasingly illusible.

The Road Ahead

As the EU Parliament and global watchdogs digest this new evidence, the pressure on NSO Group and the governments that license its technology will intensify. Kouloglou's case provides undeniable proof that the "Pega" committee's mission is not just theoretical but urgently necessary.

The investigation into Kouloglou's hacking aims to determine who is responsible for the covert surveillance. To date, no individuals have been formally accused. However, the public outcry is expected to force a deeper inquiry into the supply chain of spyware and the accountability of the entities that enable it.

For now, the story of Stelios Kouloglou serves as a stark warning: in the age of digital surveillance, the hunters can become the hunted, and the tools designed to protect secrets are often the ones that destroy them. The fight for privacy and security is no longer just about protecting data; it is about protecting the very integrity of democratic investigation.

AndroGuider Team

Articles written by the AndroGuider team. We try to make them thorough and informational while being easy to read.