French President Emmanuel Macron has changed his phone and number following reports that he was targeted with Israeli-made spyware called Pegasus.
Macron’s office said the president has also ordered an overhaul of security protocols.
This week, Le Monde reported that he and 14 French ministers were flagged for potential surveillance by Morocco.
Moroccan authorities have denied using Pegasus, and said the allegations were “
unfounded and false”.
The spyware infects iPhones and Android devices, allowing users to extract messages, photos and emails. Calls can be recorded, while microphones and cameras can be activated covertly.
It’s not clear if the software was ever installed on the French president’s phone. But his number was among a list of 50,000 contacts believed to be targeted by clients of NSO Group, the creator of Pegasus, since 2016.
Others reportedly include President Baram Salih of Iraq, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, and the current prime ministers of Pakistan, Egypt and Morocco.
