The Greek Intelligence Service admitted to spying on the journalist. The head of Greek intelligence told a parliamentary committee that his agency was spying on the journalist, Reuters reported, citing sources.

The committee's closed hearing last week was convened after the leader of the socialist opposition party PASOK filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office about an attempt to eavesdrop on his mobile phone using software.

PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis filed the complaint amid growing concerns from European Union officials about spyware dealers and the use of surveillance software.

At the hearing, Panagiotis Kontoleon, head of the EPM's intelligence service, said his office was spying on Tanasis Koukakis, a financial journalist working for CNN in Greece, two MPs who attended the hearing told Reuters.

Government spokesman Ioannis Oikonomou said the Greek authorities do not use the spyware allegedly used to hack the journalist's phone and do not deal with companies that sell it.

The government has nothing to hide and has called on the justice system to thoroughly investigate these cases, he said.

Without going to the extreme of technophobia, such malware is indeed a threat and needs to be dealt with effectively.

In April, a Greek prosecutor launched an investigation into Koukakis' claim that his smartphone was infected with surveillance software.