PEGASUS - the future?

Pegasus (produced by the Israelis) has been in the news a lot recently. It has implications for all of us - for every human in the world using an internet-connected device. We all know not to follow links but these days they can put spyware into our devices using many non-click methods and governments have persuaded many developers to put 'back doors' into their software (and hardware I guess?).

For those who are not aware:

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57910355 (This article is very enlightening and the diagram below shows what Pegasus can do).

 

I would think that it is pretty safe to presume that (for now at least) unassuming individuals who are neither rich nor influential will not be on any government's (MI6 and similar) target list for infection with this sophisticated spyware.
It's not something I would think is available to your average hacker group or crime syndicate.
So unless you plan on putting Diageo out of business with mass production of your copycat liquor you should not loose any sleep over this Pegasus thing I think

 

That's why I wrote in the title "the future?".

If you read the article you will have read "The ability to remotely access that phone was once considered something only a few states could do. But high-end espionage and surveillance powers are now in the hands of many other countries and even individuals and small groups."

Also, "Even the tools to disrupt a business online are now easily accessible. In the past, ransomware - in which hackers demand a payment to unlock access to your system - was the province of criminal networks. It is now sold as as a service on the dark web. An individual can simply agree a deal to give them a cut of the profits and they will hand over the tools and even offer support and advice, including helplines in the case of problems. Other techniques - like location tracking and developing profiles of people's activity and behaviour - which once required specialised access and authority are now available freely."

So we dismiss these potentials at our peril.

 

So my question would be.......Do we have a choice?
I try not to accept terms conditions with every article online, I would be interested in reading.
Short of replacing all your information and wiping clean your PC, Laptop, Notebook, Smart TV and mobile Phone, what choices do you have?
I thought WhatsApp was safe, it would appear that it is not. It seems everybody wants your information and storage space!

 

It seems the internet might soon, if it has not already, become unusable as a means of mass communication. It has gone from friend to foe. It no longer matters if we accept terms and conditions (nobody reads them anyway) because spyware is not asking any permissions! Too many organisations want information on people - governments are terrified its citizens will do things and it won't know (hence the move to cashless societies to record all financial transactions) and criminals (some would class many governments as criminals anyway) want to get access to our information and our cash. Even more worrying, most of our infrastructure and services are now tied into the internet and have become extremely vulnerable.

 

It looks like back to stuffing it under the mattress then

 

I never stopped

 

Safe enough in the Philippines then, nothing seems to be tied to the internet here.
For example the BI can't or won't access my fingerprints that the NBI have already on file and want me to make a trip to Cebu to give them again. (they can't do it in Dumaguete the capital of Neg Or)

 

Send you wife, with Power of Attorney......that'll really confuse them.