Pegasus

How secure do you think your smartphone really is? Could you imagine a world where the very device you depend on—your portal to work, family, and private thoughts—is quietly listening, transmitting, and reporting to someone you never authorized? In The Pegasus Project, investigative journalists Laurent Richard and Sandrine Rigaud open the door to that unsettling reality, revealing how modern governments and corporations use advanced spyware to undermine privacy, journalism, and democracy itself.

At its core, the book traces an extraordinary international investigation that began with a leaked list of 50,000 phone numbers—each allegedly selected as targets for Pegasus, a cyber-surveillance weapon developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. NSO claims Pegasus is sold only to governments for fighting crime and terrorism. But when Laurent and Sandrine examined the data, they discovered something far more sinister: many of the targeted users weren’t criminals at all. They were journalists, activists, political dissidents, and even heads of state.

Fear, secrecy, and the birth of an investigation

It all starts in 2020, in a nondescript Berlin apartment, where Forbidden Stories—a network devoted to continuing work of threatened reporters—meets with Amnesty International’s Security Lab. There, the journalists shut off their phones, put them in another room, and close the door. These precautions are not theatrical paranoia; they reflect the high stakes surrounding the information about Pegasus, which had already been used to monitor private communications across multiple countries. The tension is palpable—you can imagine yourself there, wondering whether your own phone might be compromised.

As the investigation unfolds, the themes of secrecy and risk weave through every decision. If this list was genuine, it would expose how deeply technology has penetrated personal privacy—and how easily it can be weaponized against those who challenge power. When the French investigators saw that even Emmanuel Macron, the sitting president of France, appeared to be a target, they realized how audacious and broad this spying operation had become.

The broader implications: freedom under surveillance

The book’s central claim is that digital surveillance doesn’t just threaten individuals—it undermines the foundations of democracy. If journalists and politicians cannot communicate freely, dissent gets silenced not with violence, but with invisible monitoring. This mirrors the warning of authors like Shoshana Zuboff in The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, who describes how data systems can reshape power dynamics and manipulate society for profit and control.

The Pegasus case exemplifies this disturbing evolution. NSO’s clients supposedly use spyware for legitimate law enforcement, yet evidence showed that countries like Morocco, Mexico, and India applied Pegasus to target dissenters. Laurent and Sandrine realize they are not just uncovering an espionage story—they are confronting a global pattern of digital authoritarianism hiding behind claims of security and public safety.

Bringing truth to light

Recognizing the magnitude of the task, the journalists form what becomes the Pegasus Project: a coordinated alliance of reporters and forensic analysts across continents. Each member works under strict secrecy and encryption, piecing together technical evidence from phones of suspected targets. It’s a race against time—every discovery could trigger backlash from powerful clients or cause sources to go silent.

The first breakthrough comes through Jorge Carrasco, director of Mexican publication Proceso. When he agrees to let investigators inspect his phone, they find a matching Pegasus signature corresponding to a suspicious message he had received years earlier. This moment validates their methodology and ignition for a sweeping expose that reverberates worldwide.

Why this matters to you

You may not be a journalist or politician—but the book reminds you that privacy and press freedom are not niche concerns. They are cornerstones of your society’s ability to think, question, and disagree freely. When surveillance tools fall into the wrong hands, every citizen becomes a potential data source. The Pegasus revelations underscore that digital vigilance isn’t about paranoia—it’s about protecting truth itself.

Core takeaway

As Richard and Rigaud reveal, confronting hidden surveillance is not just a technical challenge—it's a moral act of defending freedom. The Pegasus Project shows how a small group of dedicated individuals can shed light on global systems of secrecy and restore accountability in an era where data is the new weapon.

Laurent Richard and Sandrine Rigaud begin their journey with an anonymous leak—an extensive set of 50,000 phone numbers believed to be selected targets for an advanced spyware program. It was the spark that initiated one of the most consequential investigations in modern digital journalism. At first glance, the list lacked context: who created it, who was targeted, and whether Pegasus had indeed infected these phones. But its mere existence suggested something extraordinary—a coordinated spying operation that spanned continents.

The meeting in East Berlin

In the small Berlin apartment, Laurent and Sandrine met Claudio Guarnieri and Donncha Ó Cearbhaill from Amnesty International's Security Lab. The level of precaution—phones turned off, stored in another room—symbolized the risks of handling such sensitive data. If Pegasus could infiltrate devices silently, even their investigative tools could be compromised. This paranoia wasn't misplaced; it highlighted how deeply the technology could invade security barriers.

First discoveries and alarming patterns

As the team began its preliminary analysis, names started to emerge that changed the investigation’s entire scope. They found not only suspected criminals but journalists, government officials, and activists. A Moroccan client had allegedly targeted members of the French government—including President Emmanuel Macron. That revelation alone exposed Pegasus as something far more powerful than a crime-fighting tool—it was potentially a weapon of political surveillance.

Redefining surveillance as global power

The leak showed that data privacy is not distributed equally. Those in positions of influence—journalists, opponents, leaders—were targets precisely because of their potential to challenge established authority. In this sense, Pegasus reflects a new form of global power politics, where governments compete not just for land or resources but for information dominance.

Much like Edward Snowden’s revelations in 2013 about NSA surveillance (see Permanent Record), the Pegasus leak reveals that secrecy is both shield and sword. By exposing it, Richard and Rigaud challenge you to rethink digital security—not as a personal feature, but as a collective right that defines modern democracy.

With thousands of possible targets, Laurent and Sandrine knew they couldn’t go it alone. The Pegasus Project became an unprecedented journalistic coalition—an alliance across countries, languages, and specialties—to unveil hard evidence from obscure data. Their method sheds light on how complex investigations can thrive through collaboration, meticulous verification, and uncompromising secrecy.

Forming a secure communication chain

Amnesty’s Security Lab developed encrypted communication channels to connect investigative reporters worldwide. This was vital because NSO’s reach extended into governmental clients who could easily intercept normal data transfers. Every exchange had to be protected—not just to safeguard sources but also to prevent the investigation itself from being compromised.

Finding the first proof

The breakthrough came when journalist Jorge Carrasco from Mexico consented to forensic analysis of his phone. The suspicious message he had received years earlier matched one of the entries in the leaked list. That single correlation validated months of uncertainty. For the team, this was not just evidence—it was the moment science and journalism intersected.

The blueprint for global collaboration

The Pegasus Project demonstrated how investigative journalism could evolve into a multi-layered network grounded in shared passion for truth. Every partner contributed unique expertise—from digital forensics to political context—and together they built a data-driven structure of accountability. The lesson for you, whether journalist or citizen, is clear: when faced with systemic secrecy, transparency must be collective. No one can fight digital authoritarianism alone.

Their success proved that global cooperation can uncover truth even when surveillance tries to suppress it. The Pegasus Project became more than an investigation—it became a symbol of resilience against hidden power.

The Pegasus scandal forces you to confront an uncomfortable question: what happens when innovation develops faster than morality? NSO’s Pegasus was hailed as a technological marvel—an invisible insect capable of infiltrating any phone worldwide without detection. Yet, as Laurent and Sandrine uncovered, that very invisibility became its danger.

Technology’s dual nature

In principle, Pegasus was marketed as a digital weapon against terrorism. But once deployed, its lack of oversight allowed it to be misused against political opponents and reporters. The case illustrates how tools meant for protection can easily become instruments of oppression—a theme echoed in Yuval Noah Harari’s warnings about technological ethics in Homo Deus.

The moral vacuum

Laurent and Sandrine highlight a systemic absence of ethical accountability. NSO insists its clients sign contracts limiting Pegasus to lawful use, but the investigation revealed no effective mechanism to enforce those limits. This isn’t just negligence—it’s structural blindness. Governments exploiting secrecy override the very framework built to prevent abuse.

This ethical erosion isn’t limited to Pegasus. It raises universal concerns about artificial intelligence, data mining, and facial recognition technologies—tools that promise safety but threaten liberty. The challenge is finding balance before the next innovation repeats the same story under a different name.

Throughout the book, Richard and Rigaud humanize the immense courage behind investigative journalism in the digital age. Every participant—from sources to reporters—faced personal risk, paranoia, and fear. The moral undertone of their journey is clear: truth demands sacrifice.

Living under surveillance

The secrecy of the Pegasus Project meant journalists operated in near isolation. They couldn’t inform even family members about their work. This psychological weight mirrors the tension faced by whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning or Edward Snowden—individuals whose lives were permanently altered by revealing hidden systems.

Courage in collaboration

But the power of shared purpose counterbalanced this fear. Each member believed exposure would protect others and reaffirm journalism’s role as democracy’s watchdog. In their relentless commitment, you find a reminder that truth is a collective act of courage.

The Pegasus Project reveals that investigative journalism is not just about facts—it is about defending the human right to know those facts. It gives voice to those silenced by fear and reminds readers that transparency has always been won through risk.

When the Pegasus Project finally published its findings, it sent shockwaves across international politics. Nations demanded accountability; tech companies reassessed their security protocols; and ordinary people began questioning how safe their devices truly were. The revelations weren’t just a story—they were a wake-up call.

Changing the narrative on privacy

Before Pegasus, many viewed digital privacy as a personal choice—something about passwords or social media settings. After Pegasus, privacy became political. It became clear that safeguarding communication isn’t just about convenience; it’s about protecting democracy from invisible intrusion.

A moment of global reflection

The book ultimately urges you to take responsibility for awareness. Just as people once ignored factory pollution until its effects became undeniable, society today risks ignoring data exploitation until freedom itself erodes. Pegasus marks the turning point where citizens must demand stronger tech oversight and ethical governance.

Through this story, Richard and Rigaud deliver a clear message: technology is only as moral as those who control it. The Pegasus investigation should not be seen as a warning alone—it’s an invitation to restore integrity to an increasingly digitized world.