Spyware sheik-down: UAE government accused of hacking phones of a prince, emir and other rivals

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) asked an Israel-based surveillance company to spy on a prince, a Qatari emir, and other rivals by hacking their phones, according to leaked emails obtained by the New York Times.

The emails cited in the Times report, which was published on Friday, were submitted in lawsuits against Israel-based NSO Group. The correspondence suggests that the surveillance company may have been involved in illegal spying for clients, with evidence indicating that the UAE signed a contract to license the spyware from “as early as August 2013.”

The UAE sought to intercept the calls of some major rivals with the spyware – including Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Ali Thani in 2014, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and Saudi Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, who was seen as a contender for the throne at the time.

To trick their targets into downloading the Pegasus program, a text message – usually carefully worded bait for the target – was sent to the mobile phone with a link. Targets in the Persian Gulf received seemingly innocent text messages with apparently innocuous offers: “Ramadan is near – incredible discounts,” and “Keep your car tires from exploding in the heat.”

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Is there anyone that doesn't spy on everyone nowadays?