US Commerce Department blacklists Israeli spyware firms due to national security risks.
The U.S. Commerce Department has taken action against two European-based Israeli-owned spyware companies, citing national security concerns.
Intellexa S.A. in Greece and its entity Intellexa Limited in Ireland, along with Cytrox AD in North Macedonia and its entity Cytrox Holdings Crt in Hungary, have been added to the technology export blacklist, according to a press release by the Commerce Department on July 18.
This means that these companies will no longer be able to conduct business or make transactions with American companies, significantly limiting their access to commodities, software, and technology that could be used to develop surveillance tools that may be misused or pose a threat to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
The decision to blacklist these companies was made due to their involvement in “trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems, threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide,” officials stated.
These companies now join Candiru, an Israeli-owned technology company based in Tel Aviv, and NSO Group on the blacklist. NSO Group has faced continuous criticism for its Pegasus spyware and alleged spying activities. Both companies were added to the list in 2021.
“The proliferation of commercial spyware poses distinct and growing counterintelligence and security risks to the United States, including to the safety and security of U.S. government personnel and their families,” emphasized the Commerce Department.
Department of Commerce building in Washington on April 10, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)
Repression, Human Rights Abuses
“The misuse of these tools globally has also facilitated repression and enabled human rights abuses, including intimidating political opponents, curbing dissent, limiting freedom of expression, and monitoring and targeting activists and journalists,” the Commerce Department stated.
According to its website, Intellexa develops and integrates technologies to empower law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies in protecting communities.
Cytrox does not appear to have a website.
Both companies have been linked to several alleged surveillance incidents, as reported by various sources.
Cytrox’s “predator” spyware was used to hack the mobile phone of Ayman Nour, an Egyptian politician living in exile in Turkey, and an unnamed Egyptian television journalist, according to the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, which focuses on human rights and global security.
Additionally, one of Cytrox’s products was reportedly used by the Greek government to hack the mobile phone of a former Meta security executive.
Meanwhile, Intellexa was fined 50,000 euros ($56,129) by the Data Protection Authority in Greece in January for failing to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into the use of spyware.
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