Agnès Pannier-Runacher, a French politician, claims her phone was targeted by spyware, prompting an investigation into potential cyberattacks on high-profile officials.
French politician reports spyware targeting
Agnès Pannier-Runacher, a former French minister and current deputy for the Renaissance party, reported that her personal phone was targeted by mercenary spyware, according to information published by POLITICO on October 20, 2026.Complaint filed with security agency
Pannier-Runacher filed a complaint on September 28, 2026, with the Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure (DGSI), and the Paris prosecutor confirmed the opening of an investigation into the alleged cyberattack.Multiple alerts from Apple
Three Apple notifications, dating back to March 2025, indicate three distinct attacks on her device. The most recent alert was received on August 13, 2026, and Apple informed Pannier-Runacher of the targeting.No visible signs of breach
The former minister confirms receiving these notifications, which indicate repeated targeting rather than a single repeated attempt. The notifications do not specify which information may have been accessed or stolen.No suspicious phone behavior
Pannier-Runacher reports no unusual behavior from her phone and no further suspicious messages. The absence of visible signs is compatible with a "zero-click" attack, though this remains a hypothesis.Security agency involved
The National Agency for Information System Security (ANSSI) analyzed her device. The investigation involves multiple services, including hearings by the DGSI and the involvement of the cybercrime section J3.Software not publicly identified
The software used has not been publicly identified, and the investigators have ruled out Pegasus, a product of the Israeli company NSO Group.Multiple agencies mobilized
The cyber crisis coordination center, the C4, which includes the DGSE, has also been mobilized, though this does not constitute a public attribution of the operation to a state.ANSSI recalls past cases
The ANSSI has not commented on the individual case but recalls handling several phone compromises involving high-ranking officials in the past three years.Institutional context provided
CERT-FR issued an alert in September 2025 regarding iPhone espionage, providing institutional context for such cyber threats.Sensitivity of communications
Pannier-Runacher's ministerial responsibilities, including involvement in COP 28, 29, and 30, highlight the potential sensitivity of her communications.Broader trend of targeting
ZATAZ reports on increased digital targeting of public officials, including other cases involving leaked intimate content and exposure of data concerning 24 French political figures.
