European Parliament Member's Phone Hacked Using Pegasus Spyware

Stelios Kouloglou's Phone Breach

According to НВ — Техно: In October 2022, Greek journalist and politician Stelios Kouloglou-a member of the European Parliament's PEGA committee-had his smartphone compromised by Pegasus spyware. Two additional attacks followed in March 2023. Researchers at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab confirmed the breaches exploited a zero-click vulnerability in Apple's iPhone software, specifically tied to the company's smart home platform. This type of exploit requires no user interaction, making it particularly dangerous.

The hacking of Kouloglou's device occurred amid broader discussions about spyware abuses across Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Spain, just before the release of a preliminary report. While Citizen Lab could not attribute the attack to any specific country, they identified a reused email address linked to the perpetrator.

Legal Action Planned

Kouloglou intends to file a lawsuit against NSO Group, the Israeli-based manufacturer of the spyware. Use of NSO Group's technology has been largely prohibited in the United States since an executive order issued under President Biden. In 2025, a U.S. jury ordered NSO Group to pay WhatsApp over $167 million in damages-including roughly $167,254,000 in punitive damages and about $444,719 in compensation-related to a 2019 incident.

Stelios Kouloglou described the deliberate hacking of his phone as 'reckless' and called it 'a direct attack on the rule of law.'

He further stressed the importance of defending democracy, human rights, and anti-corruption efforts, noting that such actions cannot go unpunished.

According to information released on July 3, the breach of Kouloglou's phone serves as further evidence of the serious problem posed by spyware in Europe, demanding attention from lawmakers and human rights advocates.

The incident highlights a growing crisis over spyware use in Europe, alarming both human rights groups and legislators. Citizen Lab's findings suggest that misuse of such technologies threatens not only individual privacy but also the foundations of democracy. It is crucial for EU member states to establish regulations that curb the deployment of these tools and safeguard citizens' rights.