Explainer: Bezos allegations put phone hacking technology in the spotlight

Explainer: Bezos allegations put phone hacking technology in the spotlight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Allegations that Amazon.com ( AMZN.O ) boss and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos had his phone hacked by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have put a spotlight on the security of smartphones and the secretive tools used to hack them.. Smartphones are effectively pocket-sized computers that run apps on operating systems such as Apple's iOS or Google's Android.. Even small openings like that can allow hackers to take control of a device.. A 2015 technical document from NSO Group - one of the better known spyware vendors - outlines the capability of its Pegasus spyware program to monitor the smallest details of a target's life, throwing up alerts if a target enters a certain area, for example, or if two targets meet, or if a certain phone number is called.. NSO and other spyware vendors have long argued that their products are used responsibly - only sold to governments for legitimate purposes..