Pegasus infected spyware inquiry member Stelios Kouloglou’s iPhone; criminal complaint filed
Pegasus infected former MEP Stelios Kouloglou’s iPhone during Parliament’s spyware inquiry in 2022–23. He filed a criminal complaint in September 2026. Keep iPhones updated; anyone receiving an Apple spyware warning should seek expert help.
Keep your iPhone on the latest software offered in Settings. If you receive an Apple spyware warning, verify it by signing in directly at account.apple.com and seek expert help promptly. People who believe they face targeted surveillance should enable Lockdown Mode and arrange expert device screening.
What’s happening
Citizen Lab disclosed on 3 July 2026 that Pegasus, made by NSO Group, had infected former Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou’s iPhone while he served on the European Parliament’s spyware inquiry. The confirmed infection periods were October 2022 and March 2023. Confidential inquiry communications could have been exposed; the precise information taken has not been established publicly. Citizen Lab associated the attacks with the PWNYOURHOME attack chain and reported an Apple mitigation in iOS 16.3.1, but Apple’s public release notes do not establish a complete fix for this specific chain. This record concerns a confirmed targeted intrusion rather than a newly disclosed vulnerability. On 28 September, Kouloglou filed a criminal complaint in Athens. The latest report found described a prosecutor reviewing it; the sources reviewed establish no subsequent court outcome or confirmation that his device is now clear as at 3 November 2026.
- What
- Breach
- Affects
- Apple iPhone belonging to former MEP Stelios Kouloglou
- Fixed in
- Nothing to patch
- Since
- 3 July 2026
- Closed
- 28 Sept 2026
Timeline
- Update
Kouloglou filed a criminal complaint with the Athens first-instance prosecutor’s office against those responsible at NSO Group. To Vima reported that a prosecutor had taken up the file and was reviewing it.
- Update
Civil society organisations published a joint statement calling for an independent investigation into Kouloglou’s hacking and an assessment of spyware targeting parliamentarians.
- Update
The European Parliament told AFP that spyware screening had been available to all MEPs since 2022 and that checks and support were conducted regularly.
- Made public
Citizen Lab published its forensic findings after Kouloglou contacted it in May. It did not identify the responsible government and found no indication that Greece was responsible.
- Update
Apple sent another spyware threat notification, following warnings on 2 March and 29 August 2023. Kouloglou told Citizen Lab he did not recall receiving them.
- Update
Forensic evidence showed further Pegasus activity on 6–7 March. Citizen Lab assessed that the iPhone was running iOS 15.5 during both infection periods.
- UpdateNothing to patch
Citizen Lab later confirmed a Pegasus infection on or around this date on Stelios Kouloglou’s iPhone, while he was serving on the European Parliament’s spyware inquiry.
Sources
- About Apple threat notifications and protecting against mercenary spywareApple · 13 Aug 2026
- About the security content of iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1Apple · 31 Oct 2023
- Espionage Against the European Parliament: Member of Committee Investigating Spyware Hacked with PegasusCitizen Lab · 3 July 2026
- Joint Statement: Pegasus in the European Parliament, the EU Must Act NowCivil society signatories, hosted by CDT · 6 July 2026
- Joint Statement: Pegasus in the European Parliament, the EU Must Act NowPanoptykon Foundation · 6 July 2026
- EU lawmaker probing Pegasus spyware reportedly hacked by it, sparking outrageAFP via The Times of Israel · 3 July 2026
- Kouloglou Sues Over Pegasus Spyware SurveillanceTo Vima · 28 Sept 2026