As part of this, he stressed that in recent months the Office of the State Comptroller has been conducting an audit of the use by law enforcement agencies of technological means such as NSO Group's "Pegasus" spyware
According to him, "In recent months we are in the midst of auditing the use by law enforcement agencies, and in particular the Israel Police, of technological means for enforcement purposes. Within the framework of the audit, we are also examining the Police's use of various software in order to infiltrate citizens' mobile phones, as in the example of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, from the aspect of the protection of the citizens' privacy".
As part of the explanation of the importance of the audit in the field of cyber, the Comptroller emphasized data published in the previous report on the law enforcement agencies' handling of cybercrime. According to the report, the damage expected to be caused worldwide by cybercrime during 2025 has been estimated in the sum of 10.5 trillion dollars. Furthermore, in approximately 90 percent of the investigation files during 2018-2020 no indictments were filed and approximately 87% of cybercrime victims in Israel in 2019 did not report to the Police the offenses committed against them. Estimates speak about more than 300 million ransomware events worldwide in 2020.
"The topic of cyber is a global danger. Cybercrime endangers the individual, the general public, national and global commerce and even state security; I have already stressed to the Police Commissioner that nationwide organization is needed as well as reinforcement of the international interfaces in order to deal with cybercrime. I am the first state comptroller who employs hackers for the purpose of cyber audits, and it is my intention to promote joint audit proceedings with other state comptrollers in this matter.
We at the Office of the State Comptroller undertake to continue to stand at the forefront of technology and exposure to current and future risks and to engage in the fields of cyber protection, information technologies and the privacy protection, for the benefit of Israeli citizens and the whole world".
During his stay in New York, State Comptroller Englman also took part in the Israel Parade organized by the JCRC organization and the B'Sheva Jerusalem Conference. At the Conference Englman referred to the security of the axes in Judea and Samaria and said that the Office is in the midst of audit work on the matter. According to him, "There have been many terrorist attacks on the roads in Judea and Samaria. We are examining the security of the roads, the treatment of the issue of the cellular reception and the manning of the checkpoints, in order to reinforce security on the roads".
Furthermore, State Comptroller Englman met with the Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Arden and presented before him the European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) congress, which is due to be held in Israel next year, when State Comptroller Englman takes up his position as EUROSAI's president. The congress will discuss the main points of the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) which the UN is adopting.