The US Takes Down Spyware Manufacturer with New Sanctions
In a bold move to protect national security and privacy, the US government has imposed sanctions on a prominent commercial spyware manufacturer. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently announced sanctions on five individuals and an entity associated with the Intellexa Consortium for their involvement in developing, operating, and distributing the Predator malware, deemed a threat to the country’s national security.
Acting under secretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, Bradley Smith, stated, “The United States will not tolerate the reckless propagation of disruptive technologies that threatens our national security and undermines the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens.”
The individuals targeted include executives and beneficial owners of the consortium and its constituent companies. Among those sanctioned are Felix Bitzios, Andrea Nicola Constantino Hermes Gambazzi, Merom Harpaz, Panagiota Karaoli, and Artemis Artemiou. The sanctions also extend to Aliada Group, a company linked to the Intellexa Consortium, for facilitating transactions involving the network.
The Treasury’s OFAC cited cyber-enabled activities of the sanctioned entities as a significant threat to national security, foreign policy, and economic health. These activities resulted in the misappropriation of funds, trade secrets, personal information, and financial resources for private financial gain.
These sanctions freeze any US-based assets of the sanctioned entities and prohibit transactions with US individuals and companies. This crackdown on the grey market of covert eavesdropping tools is part of a series of actions against entities associated with the Intellexa Consortium, known for developing spyware used by repressive regimes to surveil journalists, dissidents, and politicians.
The Predator malware, similar to NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, infiltrates victim devices through zero-click exploits, posing a significant threat to privacy and security. In a related development, Apple recently withdrew its lawsuit against NSO Group, fearing that revealing defensive measures could aid spyware vendors in bypassing security controls.
The US government’s decisive action against the Intellexa Consortium underscores its commitment to combatting threats to national security and promoting responsible technology development. By holding accountable those responsible for exploitative technologies, the US aims to safeguard its citizens’ privacy and civil liberties while encouraging innovation aligned with international standards.