Amnesty International documented two distinct stories: a commercial spyware campaign exploiting Android and Chrome flaws in 2023, and Serbian authorities’ use of Cellebrite UFED tools in cases involving the Android spyware NoviSpy, reported in 2024 and 2025. The reports describe vulnerabilities that were later patched; they do not establish that every Android phone was affected or that any particular phone remains vulnerable today.
What Amnesty reported about Cellebrite and NoviSpy
In December 2024, Amnesty International said Serbian police and intelligence authorities used spyware and mobile forensic products to target journalists, activists and others. It identified NoviSpy and documented Cellebrite UFED exploits used in at least two cases. Amnesty said those exploits bypassed Android security mechanisms and enabled covert spyware installation during police interviews.
Amnesty also reported identifying a Cellebrite-used Android privilege-escalation zero-day affecting devices with Qualcomm chipsets. It worked with Google Project Zero and Google’s Threat Analysis Group on the finding. The report said a fix appeared in Qualcomm’s October 2024 Security Bulletin.
In February 2025, Amnesty described a separate case involving a student activist. It said a Cellebrite exploit targeting Linux kernel USB drivers could bypass the lock screen and gain privileged access when an operator had physical access to a locked Android device. Amnesty said the vulnerability was fixed in the February 2025 Android security bulletin.
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How the reported cases differ
| Case | Reported entry point and access | Reported context | Patch timing reported by Amnesty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serbia/Cellebrite findings, December 2024 | UFED exploits bypassed Android security mechanisms; Amnesty said covert installation occurred during police interviews. A privilege-escalation finding affected devices using Qualcomm chipsets. | Amnesty documented at least two cases involving Serbian authorities and NoviSpy. | The Qualcomm-related fix appeared in Qualcomm’s October 2024 Security Bulletin, according to Amnesty. The report does not establish a single patch date for every exploit or device. |
| Student activist follow-up, February 2025 | An exploit targeting Linux kernel USB drivers could bypass the lock screen and gain privileged access when an operator had physical access to the locked phone. | Amnesty’s follow-up concerned a student activist; it described the exploit as a Cellebrite finding. | Amnesty said the vulnerability was fixed in the February 2025 Android security bulletin. |
| Commercial spyware campaign, March 2023 | Amnesty reported several Android and Chrome vulnerabilities, including zero-days. The cited reporting does not state one entry condition for the campaign as a whole. | A separate commercial spyware campaign, not the Serbia/NoviSpy cases and not attributed in the cited reporting to Cellebrite. | Not stated here as one campaign-wide patch date; Google TAG discussed vendors’ use of zero-day and n-day exploits and credited Amnesty Security Lab for assistance. |
These are not interchangeable attack scenarios. The 2025 USB-driver case specifically required an operator to have physical access to a locked device; the 2023 campaign involved several Android and Chrome vulnerabilities, with no single access condition established for the campaign as a whole. Amnesty’s Serbia reporting links Cellebrite UFED exploits to cases involving NoviSpy, while the 2023 campaign is separate context.
What “zero-day” means—and what it does not
A zero-day is a software vulnerability being exploited before a fix is available from the affected software’s developer or to its users. The term describes the vulnerability’s status at the time of exploitation, not its status today. Amnesty’s reporting gives later patch milestones for the Qualcomm-related and USB-driver findings.
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A patch announcement does not mean every handset received the update at the same time. Android update availability and delivery depend on the device and its manufacturer; these reports do not establish current, device-by-device patch status or show that every Android model was affected.
What Cellebrite and Amnesty said afterward
In a February 25, 2025 statement, Cellebrite said it had investigated the allegations and “found it appropriate to stop the use of our products by the relevant customers at this time.” That is the company’s account of its actions; the statement alone does not independently establish how broad or permanent the restriction was.
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Amnesty welcomed the decision as a first step and called for Serbian authorities to investigate, provide remedies and establish safeguards. Amnesty Security Lab head Donncha Ó Cearbhaill said the decision reinforced Amnesty’s December findings that Serbian police and intelligence had misused Cellebrite equipment outside legally sanctioned processes to target civil society activists and independent journalists critical of the government. Those are Amnesty’s conclusions and characterization.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Android users can respond
Install security updates promptly
Check for Android security updates and install them when your device offers them. Exact menu labels vary by manufacturer and Android version; commonly, the update control is under Settings > System > Software update or Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates. Follow the path shown by your device maker if those labels differ.
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Then check for updates to Google Play system components and relevant apps where your device provides those controls. A bulletin or fix for one component does not mean all manufacturers have delivered it to every handset.
Recognize the limits of general advice
The reports do not support a recommendation to buy a particular phone or accessory, nor do they establish whether a reader’s specific device is vulnerable now. If you face a credible risk of targeted surveillance, seek help from a qualified digital-security organization rather than assuming an ordinary consumer scan can rule out sophisticated spyware.
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Amnesty describes its Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT) as forensic software that civil society can use to detect targeted spyware threats. It is not a consumer hardware recommendation, and detecting spyware is not guaranteed simply by installing a tool.
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