Serbian rector's phone infected with Israeli spyware, group says

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 13:31 · Archive

Digital rights group Citizen Lab says the rector of Belgrade University had his phone infected with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware.

The Citizen Lab group, which carries out forensic analyses of spyware attacks, said it could confirm that Vladan Djokic's phone was infected with Pegasus spyware in 2026. The analysis was carried out in cooperation with Serbia-based SHARE Foundation, another digital rights group. Djokic has been prominent in nearly two years of protests against Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic ahead of elections this weekend between the student movement and Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party, which has ruled for 14 years.

Pegasus is spyware that can secretly infiltrate smartphones, allowing operators to read messages, track location and activate microphones and cameras. It can be installed through zero-click attacks, which require no action by the phone's owner. In September, digital rights groups reported that at least 14 activists and students had their phones hacked and infected with Pegasus.

A separate analysis is underway to determine whether the phone of associate prosecutor Rade Bajic was also hacked. Bajic worked on alleged corruption surrounding a real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, which was later cancelled. Serbian authorities have denied in the past being behind such attacks, which were first reported in 2024, and there was no immediate comment on the latest findings.

How it is being reported

• Serbian rector's phone was infected with spyware during student protests, group saysA digital rights group says spyware from an Israeli company targeted the phone of the head dean of Belgrade University.Clickorlando · 19 Oct, 13:00
• Serbian rector's phone was infected with spyware during student protests, group saysA digital rights group says spyware from an Israeli company targeted the phone of the head dean of Belgrade University.News4Jax · 19 Oct, 13:00

In this story: Vladan Djokic · Aleksandar Vucic · NSO Group · Citizen Lab · Belgrade University · Serbia

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