U.S. Commerce Department Adds European Surveillance Firms to Trade Blacklist in Effort to Counter Misuse of Commercial Spyware
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) – The U.S. Commerce Department has taken a significant step in the Biden administration’s efforts to combat the misuse of commercial spyware, adding two European-based surveillance firms to its economic trade blacklist.
The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Tuesday that Cytrox, a Hungary-based surveillance company, and Intellexa, a Greek firm specializing in cyber-surveillance, along with two affiliated entities in Ireland and Macedonia, have been included in the trade blacklist.
Representatives from Cytrox and Intellexa could not be reached for immediate comment, and Tal Dilian, the owner of Intellexa, did not respond to a request for comment.
This move comes after Reuters reported last year that a Greek prosecutor had launched an investigation into allegations made by a journalist that his smartphone had been infected by surveillance software as part of an operation by the country’s intelligence service. The journalist claimed that the Predator spyware developed by Cytrox was used in the surveillance and that Intellexa sold the spyware in Greece.
The U.S. Commerce Department stated that these companies have been added to the trade blacklist “for trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems, thereby threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide.”
In August 2022, Reuters further reported that the head of Greek intelligence told a parliamentary committee that his agency had spied on a journalist, raising concerns about the use of surveillance malware. This disclosure coincided with increasing pressure on the Greek government to shed light on the use of powerful surveillance software.
The journalist’s allegations emerged during a time when the European Union (EU) was also ramping up its scrutiny of spyware merchants and the utilization of advanced surveillance software.
Furthermore, Reuters reported in 2020 that Intellexa had been collaborating with intelligence agencies in Southeast Asia and Europe.
The inclusion of these surveillance firms in the U.S. trade blacklist demonstrates the commitment of the Biden administration to address and counter the threats posed by the misuse of commercial spyware. By restricting trade with these entities, the U.S. aims to protect the privacy and security of individuals and organizations globally.
Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, David Shepardson, Karen Freifeld, Raphael Satter, Christopher Bing; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Alexandra Hudson.
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