US bans maker of spyware used to target government officials, journalists

The Treasury Department banned the maker of spyware used to target government officials, reporters and activists, deploying “first-of-its-kind” sanctions against sellers of commercial spyware.

The U.S. government deployed sanctions against Greece-based spyware vendor Intellexa on Tuesday and the company’s leadership after targeting U.S. officials.

“Today’s actions represent a tangible step forward in discouraging the misuse of commercial surveillance tools, which increasingly present a security risk to the United States and our citizens,” Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said.

The Treasury Department targeted two individuals and five entities associated with Intellexa for their role “in developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology” utilized for targeting policy experts, reporters, human rights activists and government officials.

The Tuesday announcement represents the first time the U.S. has sanctioned a commercial spyware entity. The technology has faced increased scrutiny over its capability to collect data, contact lists, and recordings without the knowledge of the phone’s owner.

The sanctions prevent U.S. firms and residents from doing business with the listed companies and individuals, including Intellexa founder Tal Jonathan Dilian and Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou, one of the consortium’s managers.

Intellexa Consortium’s Predator software has been sold to multiple governments around the world. They charge customers millions of dollars for their software, according to documents published by Amnesty International in 2022.

The sanctions follow President Biden’s executive order from last March prohibiting the use of commercial spyware across the federal government.

“The U.S. government deployed sanctions against Greece-based spyware...”

This is a true mark of incompetence and at the same time dishonesty of government. And even the most simple people can see it if they just look at it for what it is rqther than what they are told it is.

First, what sanctions can the US put on a Greeced based company? Is our government so stupid to think we are their only customer and that by slowing them up it will discontinue the use of spyware that is used all over the world to include us. And of course by saying this how are we going to sanction a company they are implying we don’t use ourselves with the ability to use it on ourselves? And don’t start to think it hasn’t been.

Secondly, if the US government puts sanctions on a comapny doesn’t that admit it is a threat to us. The US just tripled their sales. And we won’t stop buying from them either as we have to stay up to date on our work.

So the US just admitted they can use it, and by setting santions they are admitting it is being used against us, and they are financially supporting them internationally being the best advertising provider the Greecian company can get.

And if you ask for answers as to why you’ll get crickets because the US government can’t admit to anything to include their lack of honesty. So how stupid is all this? And how telling.

wy69

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.