Intellexa

The U.S. Commerce Department added two Europe-based spyware companies to its technology export blacklist on Tuesday for developing surveillance tools deemed to have threatened U.S. national security as well as the privacy and integrity of individuals and organizations worldwide.Such tools are regularly used for political repression and other human rights abuses, including for spying on journalists and intimidating political dissidents. The sanctioned companies are in Greece-based Intellexa S.A., Hungary-based Cytrox and…

The U.S. government placed two Israeli spyware companies on a blacklist this week, all but totally cutting them off from business opportunities with American firms. The move is yet another attempt by the Biden administration to clean up the ethically bankrupt spyware industry before it spins totally out of control.Sam Bankman-Fried Using a VPN, McDonald’s AI Drive Thru Fails, Buzzfeed AI Quizzes Suck | Editor PicksIntellexa and Cytrox, which have both been described as “Israeli-controlled,” are known for selling shady…

Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP (Getty Images)A Greek journalist who was targeted for surveillance with spyware has filed a lawsuit against the spyware’s proprietor, hoping to spur a criminal investigation into the malfeasance surrounding the sales and use of such spying tools.In late March 2021, Thanasis Koukakis was notified by a team of digital researchers that his phone had been infected with malware. A reporter who typically covers finance, Koukakis had been in the midst of investigating corruption issues when his device…