Security Researchers Find Spyware as War Weapon For the First Time in Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict

Azerbaijan and Armenia are embroiled in a brutal conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh territories, and amidst the chaos, a disturbing allegation has come to light.

Non-profit organization Access Now, along with its partners, has conducted an investigation titled "Hacking in a war zone: Pegasus spyware in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict," uncovering the alleged use of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware as a weapon in this international military dispute.

This discovery marks the first documented cases of spyware being employed in an international war between two sovereign states.

Reported Victims of Spyware

The report by Access Now sheds light on the extent and severity of the assault on privacy, freedom of expression, and human rights online.

It claims that at least 12 members of civil society, including journalists, human rights defenders, activists, academics, and even a United Nations official, have fallen victim to this spyware.

Among the reported victims is Kristinne Grigoryan, the former Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, who spoke out about alleged atrocities committed against Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces.

Karlen Aslanyan, a journalist from RFE/RL's Armenian Service and the host of a popular political show, also fell prey to this surveillance tool, as per the report.

Furthermore, Anna Naghdalyan, an NGO representative and former Spokesperson of the Republic of Armenia involved in sensitive conversations and negotiations related to the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, was reportedly one of the victims as well.

"Helping attack those already experiencing violence is a despicable act, even for a company like NSO Group," Natalia Krapiva, Tech-Legal Counsel at Access Now, said in a statement.

"Inserting harmful spyware technology into the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict shows a complete disregard for safety and welfare and truly unmasks how depraved priorities can be. People must come before profit - it's time to disarm spyware globally.

Following Apple's Warning

The investigation was initiated after Apple issued a warning in November 2021, cautioning individuals about potential state-sponsored spyware targeting. Concerned civil society actors from Armenia reached out to CyberHUB-AM and Access Now's Digital Security Helpline to have their devices assessed.

This analysis was provided by Access Now in collaboration with CyberHUB-AM, the Citizen Lab, Amnesty International's Security Lab, and independent mobile security researcher Ruben Muradyan.

However, it must be noted that these are just allegations. The Azerbaijani government and NSO Group are yet to address these claims.