The Man Who Built Pegasus Now Sells Governments the Antidote, and Latin America Is Buying
The man who created Pegasus now sells governments the antidote, targeting Trump-aligned Latin American governments as the region faces a surge in cyber attacks.
Dream, Co-Founded by NSO Group Creator Shalev Hulio, Expands into Latin America
Dream, an Israeli AI cybersecurity startup, is expanding its reach to Latin America. The company’s focus is on governments aligned with Washington, where cyber threats are growing at a reported 25% annual rate and defensive capabilities are among the weakest globally.
This expansion is significant given Shalev Hulio’s past involvement with Pegasus, spyware developed by his previous company, NSO Group, which was used to monitor journalists, activists, and political opponents in over 50 countries.
Hulio, along with co-founders Sebastian Kurz (former Austrian chancellor) and Gil Dolev, founded Dream in January 2023, emphasizing its defensive approach to cybersecurity, providing AI-powered tools for threat detection and vulnerability patching.
Why Latin America?
Latin America is experiencing a rapid increase in cyber attacks, with incidents rising approximately 25% annually. According to the World Bank, countries in the region have an average cybersecurity preparedness score of 10.2 out of 20 (though the methodology was not independently verified).
This vulnerability was demonstrated in Costa Rica in 2022 when the Conti ransomware group targeted government institutions and healthcare systems, leading to a national emergency declaration and significant disruption to public services.
The Political Alignment
Dream’s move into Latin America coincides with a conservative shift in several countries, bringing leaders to power who are friendly towards Israel.