NSO Group Accused of Using Real Location Data in COVID-19 Contact-Tracing Demos
Spyware Firm’s Controversial Use of Personal Data Exposed
Researchers have uncovered evidence that NSO Group, the controversial spyware developer behind Pegasus, used real location data from thousands of unsuspecting individuals during demonstrations of its COVID-19 contact-tracing technology.
The Fleming System: Privacy Concerns Emerge
NSO Group developed Fleming, a contact-tracing system marketed to governments as a tool to track COVID-19 spread using aggregated cell phone location data. The company claimed the system helped make public health decisions “without compromising individual privacy.”
However, in May 2020, a security researcher discovered:
- An exposed database containing thousands of location data points
- The same data used in demonstrations to journalists and governments
- Potential privacy violations affecting individuals across multiple countries
The Data Controversy: Real vs. Synthetic
NSO initially claimed the exposed data was “not based on real and genuine data,” contradicting:
- Reports from Israeli media about data broker sources
- Testimony from privacy expert Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler
- Subsequent forensic analysis by researchers
Forensic Investigation Reveals Troubling Findings
Researchers at Forensic Architecture (Goldsmiths, University of London) conducted an in-depth analysis and concluded:
- The data showed patterns consistent with real human movement
- Spatial irregularities matched real-world GPS behavior
- Evidence suggested data originated from 32,000 individuals across:
- Rwanda
- Israel
- Bahrain
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
Key Evidence of Real Data Usage
- Population Distribution Patterns: Data density matched urban vs. suburban population distributions
- Travel Time Consistency: Movement between locations followed plausible timeframes
- GPS Artifacts: Star-like patterns indicated real-world GPS signal obstruction
- Group Movement: Evidence of people traveling together
“The spatial irregularities in our sample — a common signature of real mobile location tracks — further support our assessment that this is real data,” the researchers stated.
Privacy Experts Raise Alarm
Security professionals emphasized that even anonymized location data can reveal:
- Home and work addresses
- Daily routines
- Social connections
- Potentially sensitive locations visited
“One can learn a lot of details about individuals simply by looking at location movement patterns,” noted Gary Miller of Exigent Media.
NSO’s Response and Ongoing Controversies
NSO Group denied the findings, maintaining that:
- Demonstration data was simulated and obfuscated
- No personally identifiable information was included
- Fleming analyzes data provided by end users, not collected by NSO
The company declined to specify data sources or confirm government clients using Fleming.
Broader Context: NSO’s Reputation Challenges
This incident occurs as NSO:
- Faces a major lawsuit from WhatsApp over Pegasus spyware
- Attempts to rehabilitate its image through public health technology
- Receives pushback from tech giants including Microsoft and Google
Privacy advocates remain skeptical. As John Scott-Railton of Citizen Lab noted: “The whole situation paints a picture of a spyware company once more being cavalier with sensitive and potentially personal information.”
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