Detect Pegasus malware on iOS for free using admin app iMazing

By Mike Peterson

File transfer tool iMazing has added a free feature that makes it easier for iPhone and iPad users to detect traces of the Pegasus spyware on their devices.

Credit: iMazing

In version 2.14 of iMazing, the company has added a new "Spyware Detector" tool that's inspired by the Mobile Verification Toolkit created by Amnesty International.

The Spyware Detector feature examines a new or existing iPhone and iPad backup on a user's Mac or PC. It then issues a report that allows a user's to examine a device for Pegasus tracks.

Additionally, the tool is being provided for free. Users must simply download the latest version of iMazing on PC or Mac. The feature is built into the platform and doesn't require purchasing a license.

The addition of the feature makes it easier for iPhone and iPad users to detect traces of the Pegasus spyware without dealing with the command line or Amnesty's MVT source code. However, while the analyzer is open-source, it's built on iMazing's existing closed-source toolkit.

iMazing points out that its tool doesn't stop a Pegasus infection -- it'll only detect it. The Spyware Detector feature also isn't able to analyze file system dumps from jailbroken devices.

Earlier in 2021, reports indicated that the NSO Group-developed Pegasus Spyware was being used to spy on activists and journalists by authoritarian governments. The spyware, which could infect even the latest iPhone models without user interaction, has sparked controversy and government investigations

More information and detailed instructions are available on iMazing's website.