US Blacklists 4 Spyware Companies For Accessing Information Illegally

4 spyware companies added to its technology export blacklist by US commerce department by for developing survelliance tools which posed a threat to US national security and privacy of individuals and organisations across the world.

Intellexa SA in Greec, Cytrox Holdings Crt in Hungary, Intellexa Limited in Ireland and Cytrox AD in North Macedonia are the companies which were blacklisted.

According to the department’s statement the company used illegal methods to gain information, the Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said, “This rule reaffirms the protection of human rights worldwide as a fundamental US foreign policy interest. The Entity List remains a powerful tool in our arsenal to prevent bad actors around the world from using American technology to reach their nefarious goals.”

“We remain laser focused on stemming the proliferation of digital tools for repression,” said Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Alan Estevez. “Considering the impact of surveillance tools and other technologies on international human rights, I am pleased to announce these additions to our Entity List.”

Commercial spyware firms already on the Commerce Department’s so-called Entity List – essentially making it illegal for US companies to do business with them – include Israel’s NSO Group, maker of the much better known Pegasus spyware. It was added in November 2021.

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