Spyware was found on several phones belonging to judges of the judiciary and the police. This is confirmed by the competent minister.

Spyware was found on several smartphones belonging to Belgian police officers and judges. This was reported by RTBF and has since been confirmed by Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (OpenVLD). Traces of spy software were found on several devices, although it is unclear how many phones are involved.

“It is true that we found evidence from certain police officers and judges that could indicate possible hacking or contamination,” says Van Quickenborne. “We often carry out checks on people in sensitive positions.”

Unclear implications

The implications are not immediately clear. According to Van Quickenborne, the public prosecutor’s office is currently examining whether the traces are evidence of an attempt at espionage or a successful attack.

The devices were turned over to the Computer Crime Unit, which is currently investigating them. Due to the sensitivity of the file, the police and prosecutors are not currently responding to the case.

Pegasus

It is currently unclear who is responsible for the espionage activities. The type of malware was also not disclosed. Foreign powers, but also some European countries, are not afraid to spy on the phones of important people. A software commonly used for this is the advanced spyware Pegasus from the Israeli NSO Group.

The revelation comes about a month after the European Parliament proposed setting up an organization to monitor spyware use in the EU. This suggestion arose from the report of the PEGA committee investigating the use of such rogue software.