Often, people describe legitimate and mainstream software as spyware — for example, certain social media platforms like Facebook often get this label — but that's a misuse of the term.

This spyware, used by law enforcement agencies across mainland China, allows officers to collect vast amounts of personal information from Android devices without the owners ever knowing.

Kate O’Flaherty is a cybersecurity and privacy journalist. A new type of iPhone spyware with capabilities similar to NSO Group’s Pegasus has been analysed by security researchers at Citizen Lab.

Authorities had to have physical access to a target’s device — sometimes by breaking into their home or office — then manually install the spyware. That’s why, for example, early versions ...

By acquiring Paragon, AE Industrial follows the example of other Western investment firms investing in Israeli spyware makers. In 2014, U.S. private equity firm Francisco Partners paid $130 ...

The company has confirmed “that users are automatically protected from known versions of this spyware by Google Play Protect, which is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services“.

As tech companies and savvy users make it harder to infect phones remotely with government-grade spyware, repressive governments abroad are using a product widely marketed to American law ...