U.S. fund sells Israeli hacking firm NSO Group amid spy mystery
NSO’s cofounders bought the controversial spyware maker back from Francisco Partners, with help from private equity firm Novalpina and Jefferies Group.
The founders of controversial spyware company NSO Group bought the firm back from U.S. private equity firm Francisco Partners, with support from Novalpina, a European private equity firm, and New York investment bank Jefferies Group. The sale follows a highly turbulent month for the Israeli cyberweapons firm, whose powerful spyware, Pegasus–capable of taking over smartphones–has been used by a number of governments to target dissidents, journalists, and lawyers.