The spyware is named after Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology. While the capabilities of Pegasus may vary over time due to software updates, Pegasus is generally capable of reading text messages, call snooping, collecting passwords, location tracking, accessing the target device's microphone and camera, and harvesting information from apps. Īs of March 2023, Pegasus operators were able to remotely install the spyware on iOS versions through 16.0.3, through a zero-click exploit. While NSO Group markets Pegasus as a product for fighting crime and terrorism, governments around the world have routinely abused the spyware to surveil journalists, lawyers, political dissidents, and human rights activists. Pegasus is spyware developed by the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group that is designed to be covertly and remotely installed on mobile phones running iOS and Android.