Unveiling the Espionage Tactics of Morocco
The recent investigation led by journalist Hicham Mansouri and coordinated by the Forbidden Stories consortium has revealed startling information regarding Moroccan espionage activities. It has been disclosed that Morocco attempted to spy on various Spanish mobile phones with the notorious Pegasus spyware, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, two years prior to the political scandal involving Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles. This groundbreaking report highlights that the ambitions of Moroccan intelligence extend beyond just high-profile political figures, indicating a widespread initiative to monitor numerous individuals within Spain.
Moreover, the investigation unveils the inner workings of Pegasus, offering a glimpse into the interface of the spyware for the first time, detailing how it was acquired by the Moroccan government, and featuring an interview with a former Moroccan spy. This ex-spy, who served in the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) for a decade, revealed that Morocco accessed this advanced surveillance technology as early as 2017, deploying it to compromise the phones of intelligence targets over a span of four years.
How Morocco Gained Access to Pegasus
According to the same source, representatives from NSO Group introduced Pegasus to Moroccan intelligence services in a discreet villa in Rabat. The interviewed ex-spy, referred to as Safir (a pseudonym), recounted how NSO employees showcased the spyware by hacking demonstration phones. With the spyware operational, NSO representatives could remotely activate the cameras and microphones of the targeted devices. The capabilities were astonishing, employing extraordinary exploitations of vulnerabilities in both Android and iOS systems. Initially, in 2017, the target had to click a link to be compromised; by 2019, merely receiving a phone call sufficed for infection.
What stands out is the revelation that Morocco received this formidable digital warfare tool as a 'gift' from a third country, specifically pointing to the United Arab Emirates. This expensive gift, costing millions, was described by Emirati sources as inconsequential. The informant clarified that the model used to provide this service to Morocco and other nations resembled a subscription system: "The Emirates bought it and redistributed it to allied intelligence services, akin to Netflix where one friend pays for the subscription and others use their account."
The investigation also delves into how Moroccan intelligence was eager to explore the capabilities of Pegasus as soon as it became available. By September 2017, Moroccan intelligence had already begun compiling a list of phone numbers to target, which included that of Aminatou Haidar, the Sahrawi activist known for her 32-day hunger strike in 2009 following her expulsion from El Aaiún by Moroccan authorities. Notably, Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero was also on the list.
The intelligence agency later amassed a database featuring over 200 Spanish phone numbers for its personal "Project Pegasus." In May 2022, Spain acknowledged that the mobile phones of Sánchez and Robles were among those infected by the spyware.
Morocco is not alone in utilizing this powerful spying tool. The Spanish government itself has been implicated in surveilling Catalan independence leaders during the 'procés', as revealed by specialists from The Citizen Lab in Toronto, who actively monitor and combat the use of such software. Moreover, NSO Group recently lost a lawsuit initiated by Meta, the parent company of platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, which has accused NSO of orchestrating hacking campaigns against its services. Despite winning in U.S. courts, Meta has sought to have NSO declared in contempt for allegedly dismantling a new campaign of attacks linked to the Israeli firm.
As reported by huffingtonpost.es.
