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iVerify: Pegasus spyware infections may be much higher than previously thought

Security experts at iVerify have developed a solution to detect traces of the spyware Pegasus on mobile devices. Pegasus is marketed as a solution to fight terrorism and crime, but governments all over the world have used it to spy on journalists, dissidents, or activists. We have talked about it in the past, for instance when Apple released updates for its products to prevent the spyware. The spyware is available for Android and iOS, and it is not really clear how widespread its use is. The technology that iVerify created could help get a better understanding of that. Here are the details:
  • iVerify calls the solution Mobile Threat Hunting.
  • It is integrated into the company's iVerify Basic app and other company apps for Android and iOS.
  • Preliminary scans of 2,500 devices running the software concluded that 2,5 per 1,000 were infected by Pegasus on Average.
While that may not sound much, extrapolation begs to differ. For every 1 million devices, 2,500 may be infected by Pegasus. If you take the 310 million mobile devices in the United States alone, you'd end up with more than 750,000 infected devices by Pegasus alone. IVerify argues that the number could be lower and gives reasons for that:
  • The 2,500 devices may have been more likely to be targeted by spyware.
  • It is not a global representative sample.

You can test your devices for traces of Pegasus

The company has integrated the scan for Pegaus into into its apps for Android and iOS. The iVerify Basic app is a security app that is available for $0.99 for Android and iOS. The security app supports a range of features. Notable are:
  • Scanning for common malware and out-of-date operating systems.
  • Security guides.
  • Advanced scan using diagnostic log uploads.
To test for Pegasus, it is necessary to create a full log file of the device and share it with the iVerify App. The log gets uploaded and then analyzed. This option is available once every 90 days for users of iVerify Basic. Note: Full bug reports contain lots of information about the device and software. This includes device logs, system message logs, stack traces, file system folder files, and more.

Closing Words

Mobile users who suspect that their devices may have been compromised may use the integrated security scan feature to check for Pegasus traces. The scan is not free, as you have to make a one-time payment of one Dollar to purchase the app. Still, it seems to be one of the few, or even the only, option right now to check for Pegasus traces on mobile devices without breaking the bank or having expert knowledge on the matter. Now it is your turn. Have you heard of iVerify before? Would you run the app on your devices?   

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