US imposes sanctions on spyware firm behind tool used to spy on dissidents

The United States announced new sanctions on Monday against a commercial spyware company headed by a former Israeli military officer whose programme allowed easy access to almost any information stored on a smartphone.

US officials and private researchers say Intellexa Consortium’s products have been used for mass surveillance campaigns around the world, allowing unscrupulous users to track and obtain sensitive information from dissidents, journalists, political candidates and opposition figures.

The penalties target five people and one organisation connected to Intellexa, a Greece-based network of companies with subsidiaries in North Macedonia, Hungary, Ireland and the British Virgin Islands.

The company developed and sold a suite of spyware tools known as Predator that allowed entry into a target’s device without requiring them to click on a link or attachment.

The programme would then grant access to the camera and microphone as well as any data or files stored on the compromised phone.

“The United States will not tolerate the reckless propagation of disruptive technologies that threatens our national security and undermines the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens,” said Bradley T Smith, acting undersecretary of the US Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.

Several subsidiaries of Intellexa and two employees, including its founder, were sanctioned earlier this year by the Biden administration. Last year, the US Commerce Department blacklisted Intellexa and one of its subsidiaries, denying them access to US technology.

The five people subject to the new penalties each held senior positions at Intellexa or one of its subsidiaries, US officials say. The Aliada Group, another subsidiary based in the British Virgin Islands, was also sanctioned over allegations of enabling financial transactions for Intellexa that totalled tens of millions of dollars, officials said.

Messages left with Intellexa and its executives were not immediately returned Monday.

Intellexa was created in 2019 by former Israeli military officer Tal Dilian. Mr Dilian and Sara Hamou, a corporate offshoring specialist who has provided managerial services to Intellexa, were penalised earlier this year in what Biden administration officials said was the first time sanctions were issued over the misuse of spyware.

Individuals and organisations under sanctions are prohibited from engaging in business or financial transactions within the US or with US entities.

Amnesty International’s Security Lab published a report last year that found Predator had been used to target but not necessarily infect devices connected to the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-Wen, as well as US Republican politician Michael McCaul and Senator John Hoeven.

Europe has also faced a number of spyware incidents. Predator spyware was reportedly used in Greece, a revelation that helped precipitate the resignation in 2022 of two top government officials, including the national intelligence director.