Meet the team that investigates when journalists and activists get hacked with government spyware

This article profiles Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, a small global team that supports journalists and human rights defenders who suspect targeting by mercenary spyware (e.g., from NSO Group, Intellexa, Paragon). Frequently prompted by Apple’s threat notifications, the helpline triages cases, performs remote and in-depth device analyses, advises victims, and collaborates through the CiviCERT network; it now reviews around 1,000 suspected cases annually, confirming only a small fraction as true infections.