A small team of digital security experts working for the nonprofit Access Now has become a primary point of contact for journalists, activists, and dissidents worldwide who believe their phones have been compromised by government spyware, handling hundreds of cases each year amid a steady rise in attacks.
Years Of Government Spyware Targeting
For more than a decade, journalists and human rights defenders have been targeted by surveillance operations carried out by governments across countries including Ethiopia, Greece, Hungary, India, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Law enforcement agencies and intelligence services in these countries have used commercial spyware to access victims’ phones, with some targets later facing intimidation, harassment, physical attacks, or, in extreme cases, death.
Role Of Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline
In response to these threats, Access Now operates a Digital Security Helpline staffed by around a dozen experts based primarily in Costa Rica, Manila, and Tunisia, with additional presence across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The helpline provides 24/7 support to civil society members who suspect they have been hacked, including those targeted by spyware from vendors such as NSO Group, Intellexa, and Paragon.
Hassen Selmi, who leads the helpline’s incident response team, told TechCrunch that the service is designed to give journalists and activists immediate access to cybersecurity expertise when an incident occurs.
Apple Notifications And Case Referrals
The helpline has become a key referral point for victims. When Apple sends “threat notification” alerts to users warning that they may have been targeted by mercenary spyware, the company directs recipients to Access Now for assistance.
Selmi said many individuals who receive these notifications experience confusion and fear, and that having experts explain the alert and guide next steps provides significant relief. Several digital rights researchers previously told TechCrunch that Apple’s approach, while sometimes criticized for optics, directs victims to specialized support that is equipped to respond.
Selmi described Apple referencing the helpline as one of the most significant milestones in its development.
Scale Of Investigations
Access Now now reviews about 1,000 suspected spyware cases each year. According to helpline director Mohammed Al-Maskati, roughly half of those cases move into formal investigation, with about 5%, around 25 cases annually, resulting in confirmed spyware infections.
When Selmi began this work in 2014, the helpline handled roughly 20 suspected cases per month. Despite the rise in demand, the team remains relatively small, with fewer than 15 staff members globally.
How Cases Are Investigated
When someone contacts the helpline, staff first confirm whether the individual falls within its mandate, which focuses on civil society rather than business or political figures. Investigators then triage cases, asking why the person believes they were targeted and what devices they use.
Initial checks are conducted remotely. In higher-priority cases, victims may be asked to provide full device backups for deeper forensic analysis. Selmi said the team maintains specific processes for detecting known exploits used over the past five years and relies on established baselines to distinguish normal device behavior from signs of intrusion.
Alongside technical analysis, helpline staff advise victims on practical steps, such as whether to switch devices or adopt additional security measures.
Regional Networks And Broader Support
Access Now also supports other investigative teams worldwide through a coalition known as CiviCERT, which shares tools, documentation, and expertise. Selmi said this network helps reach victims in regions where Access Now cannot operate directly and ensures support is provided in local languages and cultural contexts.
Selmi told TechCrunch that every case is different and that supporting spyware victims requires not only technical skills but also broader understanding of personal and cultural circumstances.
Featured image credits: pixabay
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