Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- The Biden administration is welcoming six new countries to a US-led pact to crack down on phone-hacking spyware.
- New cases of American government personnel being targeted by spyware have been identified, prompting the need for global cooperation to combat the issue.
The Biden administration continues to find new cases of American government personnel being targeted by spyware, a technology deemed a national security and counterintelligence threat. Spyware is malicious software that can break into mobile phones and turn them into listening devices. The market for commercial spyware has grown over the past decade, with several companies selling these services globally. The US is working to convince its allies not to use spyware companies whose tools may be used against US diplomats or to surveil dissidents and journalists on US soil.
Poland, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Japan, and South Korea have joined the US-led pact to combat spyware, indicating a growing global momentum against the abuse of surveillance technology. The US Treasury Department recently sanctioned an Ireland-based company for its involvement in the spyware business. The US government is concerned about the risks posed by spyware vendors, as some companies may be closely tied to foreign governments.
US intelligence agencies have warned that at least 74 countries have contracted with private firms to obtain commercial spyware, posing a significant national security risk. The FBI confirmed buying a testing license for the NSO Group’s Pegasus software in 2022 but has not used it in investigations. The White House issued an executive order to prevent US government agencies from using spyware that is deemed a threat to national security or implicated in human rights abuses.
The Biden administration has taken steps to sanction and restrict visas for spyware vendors and prevent US companies from doing business with them. However, the market for spyware remains lucrative, with companies often hiding behind opaque structures to evade detection. US officials have met with venture capital firms to educate them about the risks of investing in companies that fuel the growth of spyware.
