Predator Spyware Used to Surveil Greek Police Forensic Official
Predator spyware was allegedly used to surveil Penelope Miniati, a former Hellenic Police forensic official, through malicious messages crafted with personal information about her vaccination appointment. The case is in litigation, with testimony in an Athens court revealing she was infected through two messages opened in 2021 and notified of her status in late 2022.
What happened
Penelope Miniati, former chief of Forensic Research at the Hellenic Police and former chair of European forensic institutes, testified that she was targeted by Predator spyware. She received two messages in May and November 2021—one a thank-you letter from a police union and another a vaccine appointment confirmation—both of which infected her phone when opened.
Miniati stated that the messages contained highly specific personal details, such as the exact time and date of her vaccine appointment. She was first informed by a journalist in late November 2022 that she was on a surveillance list, and later received official notification from the Data Protection Authority in summer 2023.
Reported impact
Miniati reported concern about how attackers obtained such specific personal information, including details about her vaccination appointment. She noted that 18 days before receiving the malicious message, she had begun lawful surveillance by the National Intelligence Service (EYP).
After becoming aware of the infection, Miniati obtained a report and expressed concern about the coincidence of timing and the nature of the targeted information.
Index analysis
The case is being heard in Athens court as part of broader litigation over illegal surveillance conducted via Predator spyware. Miniati's testimony indicates the spyware was used to target a government official responsible for forensic investigations.
Governance controls
The incident led to official notification by the Data Protection Authority to the victim in summer 2023. The case proceeded to court litigation, indicating some institutional response to the surveillance discovery.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.