March 5, 2024 at 04:00PM
The Treasury Department sanctioned a Greece-based spyware company, Intellexa Consortium, and its associated entities for developing and distributing spyware tools known as Predator targeting U.S. government officials and journalists. The sanctions mark the first time for misusing spyware, and the Commerce Department had previously blacklisted these entities. The spyware allows unauthorized data extraction and has been used in various countries, prompting the Biden administration to unveil a visa policy targeting foreign individuals involved in spyware misuse.
From the meeting notes, it is clear that the Treasury Department has sanctioned individuals and entities, including a Greece-based commercial spyware company called Intellexa Consortium, for their involvement in the development, operation, and distribution of technology used to target U.S. government officials, journalists, and policy experts.
The sanctions also targeted other entities associated with Intellexa, including Cytrox AD, Cytrox Holdings ZRT, and Thalestris Limited, for their roles in developing and distributing spyware tools known as Predator.
This marks the first time that the Treasury Department has sanctioned people or entities for the misuse of spyware, signaling a tangible step forward in discouraging the misuse of commercial surveillance tools. The U.S. government remains focused on establishing clear guardrails for the responsible development and use of these technologies, while also ensuring the protection of human rights and civil liberties.
The Commerce Department had previously blacklisted Intellexa and Cytrox, denying them access to U.S. technology.
These sanctions come after reports of Predator spyware being used to target individuals in various countries, including politicians and activists. The sanctions also follow the Biden administration’s unveiling of a new policy to impose visa restrictions on foreign individuals involved in the misuse of commercial spyware.
In summary, the meeting notes highlight the significant actions taken by the U.S. government to address the misuse of spyware and surveillance tools, with a specific focus on targeting the developers and distributors of Predator spyware.