WASHINGTON (Reuters), Wednesday’s Federal Bureau of Investigation admitted that it tested a hacking program made by NSO Group of Israel. The U.S. government however stated that the tool was not used for investigation purposes.

Pegasus Software, a surveillance software company, is embroiled in scandal after it was revealed that the tools had been misused by governments to hack iPhones.

NSO claims its technology was designed to catch terrorists, child pedophiles and other hardened criminals. Apple (NASDAQ: ) currently has a lawsuit against NSO over alleged violations of its terms and conditions.

A request for comment was not answered by the company immediately.

An FBI spokesperson stated in a statement that the FBI obtained a restricted license only for product testing and evaluation. It was in no way used to support any investigations.

NSO has maintained its confidential client list for many years. It has stated that its products are only sold to legitimate and vetted government clients. Academics and security researchers have shown that NSO’s tools were used to target journalists and activists, as well as political dissidents.

Over human rights concerns, the U.S. Commerce Department placed NSO on a blacklist. This prohibited U.S. businesses from doing business with NSO.