Thai opposition leader targeted in spyware attack: Party

BANGKOK: Thailand's opposition leader was targeted by a spyware attack, his party said on Tuesday (Nov 3), but a government spokesman denied a claim that the state could be behind the attempted surveillance.

Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, whose progressive People's Party came second in February's election, shared in a social media post on Tuesday screenshots from his device of a "threat notification" from Apple. 

"Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple Account," the notification said.

"This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do."

It said the notification was sent to "targeted users in 110 countries" and did not identify the attackers.

A cybersecurity watchdog said in 2022 dozens of Thai democracy activists were targeted by spyware known as Pegasus during the height of anti-government protests two years earlier.

Pegasus software, created by Israeli firm NSO Group, can extract data and activate cameras or microphones once it has successfully infiltrated a mobile device.

People's Party deputy spokesperson Napath Narangsiya told AFP that Natthaphong was the only party member who received the warning from Apple on Tuesday.

However, he said other lawmakers and staffers from their political movement received similar notices during the military-backed government of former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who came to power after a 2014 coup.

It was not confirmed which spyware was used or who was behind the recent attack, according to Napath, though he said the list of suspects was short.

"If the spyware is developed and deployed similarly to Pegasus, then it has to be a state actor," he told AFP.

"We don't think there are any other countries (except Thailand) that would target the Thai opposition leader."

Government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises said the opposition's insinuations were "baseless".

While government agencies have made budget requests to procure Pegasus spyware during previous administrations, he said no such budget was allocated in the current or previous financial year.

Both Apple and the NSO Group did not respond to emailed questions from AFP on Tuesday.

But NSO Group has said it only sells its cyberintelligence technologies to government agencies to combat terrorism and other crimes.

Apple said in a statement in August that targeted spyware attacks "have historically been associated with state actors".

Democrat Party spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang told AFP that party leader and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva also recently received a spyware notification from Apple but his mobile phone was not compromised.