First Confirmed Pegasus Infection of 2026 Plus NoviSpy Variant Found on Serbian Activists

Summary

The SHARE Foundation said 14 people — including a member of parliament and a local government official — were targeted in what it called the largest documented surveillance wave in Serbia, coinciding with protests after the 2024 Novi Sad canopy collapse and ahead of October parliamentary elections. Citizen Lab confirmed a Pegasus infection on a student activist 'with high probability' via a zero-click exploit used from December to January, while Amnesty International confirmed two devices carried a new NoviSpy variant, pointing to Serbian police or secret-service involvement during detention. Citizen Lab urged users to update to the latest iOS, as Apple's updates have closed this exploit.