What Bitcoin Did Exposing Pegasus: How the State Spies on You | John Scott-Railton
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Sep 9, 2025 John Scott-Railton, a Senior Researcher at Citizen Lab, investigates the alarming world of spyware like Pegasus and its implications for privacy and freedom. He reveals how governments misuse surveillance tech to silence dissent, targeting journalists and activists. The conversation dives into the evolution of spyware, the role of corporate data brokers, and how AI may exacerbate surveillance issues. Scott-Railton also warns about potential threats to Bitcoin from state overreach, prompting a vital discussion on the balance between safety and individual rights.
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Phones As Spies
- Mercenary spyware turns your phone into a covert spy capable of camera, microphone and cloud access.
- John Scott-Railton warns these services enable governments to surveil anything a phone can do, often silently.
Bishop's Gratitude After Discovery
- John called a Catholic bishop in Togo to tell him he'd been targeted by Pegasus and the bishop thanked him for the truth.
- The bishop said in a dictatorship "we don't have a lot of [truth]" and called the result a breath of oxygen.
Zero-Click Compromise
- Zero-click exploits let attackers compromise phones without any user interaction or visible signs.
- Scott-Railton emphasizes there's no behavioral action that reliably protects you from such attacks.