European Parliament Member Hacked with Pegasus Spyware

Stelios Kouloglou, a Greek investigative journalist and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2015, has been identified as a victim of Pegasus spyware while serving on the PEGA Committee, which investigates the use of surveillance spyware in Europe. Kouloglou, who was elected as an independent on the Syriza party’s list, participated in the PEGA Committee from March 2022 until July 2023. The committee was established in response to revelations about the use of spyware by European governments against journalists and activists.

A forensic analysis by the Citizen Lab revealed that Kouloglou's iPhone was infected with Pegasus spyware on October 21, 2022, and again on March 6 and 7, 2023. The first infection occurred just before a series of PEGA Committee hearings and the drafting of its initial report, which focused on allegations of spyware misuse in several EU countries. The second infection coincided with intense discussions regarding the committee's final report.

The October 2022 infection is particularly concerning as it occurred while Kouloglou was hospitalized for elective surgery, raising the possibility that sensitive medical information could have been intercepted. During this time, he was visited by Thanasis Koukakis, another journalist who has been targeted by spyware and testified before the PEGA Committee.

Kouloglou's device was also targeted with Pegasus during a period when he was actively involved in PEGA Committee activities, including planning research visits to Greece and Cyprus. The timing of the infections suggests a deliberate attempt to surveil him during critical committee work.

The Citizen Lab's findings indicate that Kouloglou received multiple notifications from Apple about potential spyware targeting, although he does not recall seeing these alerts. The analysis also suggests that the same operator may have targeted Kouloglou and other journalists, indicating a broader pattern of surveillance against individuals involved in civil society and political discourse.

This incident marks the first public identification of a PEGA Committee member as a victim of Pegasus spyware, raising alarms about the integrity of democratic processes and the potential exposure of confidential parliamentary communications. The findings underscore the urgent need for investigations into the use of mercenary spyware within the EU, as the implications of such breaches could be far-reaching and damaging to democratic institutions.