US Imposes Sanctions on Greek Commercial Spyware Company Intellexa
In a groundbreaking move, the United States Department of the Treasury announced on March 5th that it would be imposing sanctions on a commercial spyware company – Intellexa, based in Greece. The company has been accused of using spyware to target US government officials, journalists, and policy experts.
According to the Treasury Department, Intellexa was the mastermind behind the development of a tool called Predator, which has facilitated the spread of commercial spyware and surveillance technology worldwide. This tool has allowed hackers, foreign hostile actors, and cybercriminals to use the highly invasive Predator spyware to target mobile platforms, including iOS and Android, and access sensitive information on these devices without authorization.
Reports indicate that among the individuals involved in the development of the Predator spyware were two persons and five entities, including Intellexa’s founder Tal Dilian, a former Israeli intelligence officer with a background in spyware operations. Sara Hamou, an offshoring expert who provided management services to Intellexa, has also been subjected to sanctions.
Hamou held leadership positions in several entities associated with Intellexa and has consequently been included in the sanctions, such as Intellexa SA, a software development company based in Greece; Intellexa Limited headquartered in Ireland; and Thalestris Limited, which holds the distribution rights to the Predator spyware.
The sanctions effectively freeze all US assets and prohibit any American citizens from engaging in business dealings with the individuals or entities mentioned. The Treasury Department warned that financial institutions or US citizens conducting transactions with the sanctioned individuals or entities could face penalties or enforcement actions.
In response to these sanctions, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, Brian Nelson, stated in a press release, “Today’s action represents a significant step in curbing the misuse of commercial surveillance tools, which pose an increasing security risk to the United States and our citizens.”
This move marks the first-ever sanctions imposed by the US against a commercial spyware entity, underscoring the government’s commitment to combatting threats posed by the abuse of surveillance technologies.
Reference:
US Announces First-Ever Sanctions Against Commercial Spyware