Diplomatic Passport Fraud: Unmasking the Identity of Hulio

An investigation by a consortium of journalists has identified the use of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware to target individuals in Morocco and France, involving the use of a diplomatic passport by the NSO Group founder under a false name. The findings indicate a pattern of cyber warfare where Israeli-developed technology was deployed against political targets and diplomatic figures across North Africa and Europe.

The investigation focused on the movements and documentation of the NSO Group founder. According to the reporting consortium, the founder utilized a diplomatic passport to facilitate operations, though the document listed the last name Holy instead of the individual’s actual last name, Hulio.

NSO Group Spyware Operations in Morocco and France

The consortium’s data reveals that Pegasus software was used to infiltrate devices in Morocco. The reporting suggests that the Moroccan government utilized the tool to monitor both domestic dissidents and foreign diplomats. This deployment aligns with previous findings regarding the NSO Group’s business model of selling high-grade surveillance tools to sovereign states.

In France, the investigation identified targets among government officials and diplomatic circles. The use of the software allowed the operators to gain remote access to encrypted communications, bypassing standard security protocols on mobile devices.

Use of False Identity and Diplomatic Credentials

A central component of the investigation involves the founder of the NSO Group and the legitimacy of his travel documents. The consortium reported that the founder traveled using a diplomatic passport that obscured his true identity.

The document used the name Holy, while the investigation verified the founder’s real last name as Hulio. The use of a diplomatic passport by a private corporate executive raises questions regarding the relationship between the NSO Group and the Israeli government, as diplomatic passports are typically reserved for state officials.

Impact on International Diplomacy and Cyber Security

The discovery of these operations underscores the role of private intelligence firms in state-sponsored cyber warfare. By providing “zero-click” exploits, NSO Group enabled governments to target devices without requiring the user to click a link or open a file.

The targeting of French officials indicates that the reach of Pegasus extends beyond internal security and into the realm of international espionage. This has led to increased scrutiny of the export licenses granted by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, which regulates the sale of Pegasus as a dual-use technology.

In Morocco, the deployment of the spyware has been linked to the surveillance of journalists and human rights defenders. The consortium’s findings suggest that the software was used to map social networks and track the physical locations of targets in real-time.