European Digital Rights’ Post

🚨 The Brussels #spyware scandal that shocked us last month makes it evident: EU's current approach to spyware is not cutting it. 😨 #Spyware can turn a phone into a real-time spying device, even remotely activating the microphone & camera. Our journalists and lawmakers are increasingly becoming targets of this nefarious #surveillance technology, which is endagering EU #democracy ❌ The European Media Freedom Act #EMFA, passed yesterday by the European Parliament, claims to protect journalists and media workers. Despite its lofty ambitions, the law falls short of this goal - especially when it comes to safeguarding them from spyware. In fact, it may end up promoting the use of spying tools against journalists 👀 We ask: When will the EU finally stop twiddling its thumbs on spyware and take action? Read our take in Euronews ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gZTvh3tJ

The EU is asleep at the wheel when it comes to dealing with #spyware, and now its lawmakers are becoming targets of this spying technology - I wrote about it for Euronews along with my brilliant European Digital Rights colleague. Read!!! ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gHunFxqt "The incoming EU lawmakers have a choice: confront and act against the menace of spyware to ensure our safety and the integrity of our democracy, or become its next targets."

Greek prosecutor says government played no role in civil society spyware infections. Key takeaways: 1. This revelation intensifies concerns about the uncontrolled spread of predatory spyware and the lack of accountability for its misuse. Despite the Greek court finding no involvement of state entities in the deployment of such software, opposition politicians and independent investigations highlight links to the prime minister's office. 2. The EU Parliament's demand for Greece to strengthen its legal and institutional safeguards against spyware misuse underlines the broader implications of the incident. It's not solely about domestic affairs but the export of powerful spyware to countries with poor human rights records, stressing the need for robust international frameworks to control such activities. 3. The sanction by the US Treasury Department against those connected to the Intellexa Commercial Spyware Consortium makes clear spyware's transnational reach and threat. The software was used to target Americans, emphasizing the need for a global response to this cyber security threat. Learn more by visiting The Record from Recorded Future News: https://lnkd.in/deJ2hnzp

🌐 💼 Save the Date for an Essential Talk on Spyware Regulation 🗓️ Date: 15th May 2024 🕐 Time: 13:00 - 14:30 CET 🔍 Dive into the aftermath of the Pegasus spyware scandal with experts at our high level online panel event. 🌍 Join EU and global representatives as they discuss strategies for addressing spyware misuse in the upcoming legislative term. Don't miss this crucial conversation, register now 👇 https://lnkd.in/eJM8wfFF Sophie in 't Veld, Anna Buchta, Silvia Lorenzo Perez, EDPS - European Data Protection Supervisor, Center for Democracy & Technology #SpywareRegulation #EUAction #Privacy #Surveillance

EU failure to rein in spyware reflects lack of political will, parliamentarian says. Why it matters: 1. The reluctance from European governing bodies to tackle widespread spyware abuse signifies a troubling normalization of such surveillance tech on the continent, which indirectly suggests approval of its misuse. 2. By exporting spyware to other countries, Europe may be unintentionally amplifying the global scope of the problem, thereby increasing its potential repercussions. 3. Though framed as a tool for law enforcement and national security, unchecked use and abuse of spyware pose a significant and largely unrecognized security threat that goes beyond mere communication interception, potentially undermining governance and personal freedoms across nations. Learn more by visiting The Record from Recorded Future News: https://lnkd.in/eaB_rPVF

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: U.S. Department of State <usstatebpa@public.govdelivery.com> Date: Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 6:39 PM Subject: Sanctioning Members of the Intellexa Commercial Spyware Consortium To: <rangike@gmail.com> You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Sanctioning Members of the Intellexa Commercial Spyware Consortium 03/05/2024 11:23 AM EST Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson The proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware pose growing security risks to the United States. Foreign actors have misused such spyware to enable human rights abuses and to target dissidents globally for repression and reprisal. The United States is today designating two individuals and five entities associated with the Intellexa Consortium for their role in developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology misused to target Americans, including U.S. Government officials, journalists, and policy experts. Today’s designations aim to discourage the misuse of surveillance tools and reflect U.S. Government efforts to establish clear guardrails for the responsible development and use of these technologies aligned with the protection of human rights and democratic values around the world. In advance of the third Summit for Democracy, hosted by the Republic of Korea in Seoul, these designations build upon the steps taken since last year’s Summit for Democracy in March 2023, including the issuance of an Executive Order to Prohibit U.S. Government Use of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security; the U.S.-led Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware; the Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies; the addition of commercial spyware entities to the Department of Commerce Entity List; and the Department of State’s announcement of a new visa restriction policy. The Department of the Treasury designations were taken pursuant to Executive Order 13694 as amended. For more information on today’s action, see Treasury’s press release.

What can citizens expect of the incoming EU Commission and Parliament when it comes to addressing the use of spyware in the EU? CDT Europe brings together a group on high-level experts to help answer this question just before the EU elections. Join the conversation! #spyware #pegasusspyware #fundamentalrights #predatorspyware

NSO Group, which makes Pegasus spyware, keeps trying to extract information from Citizen Lab researchers — and a judge keeps swatting it down. researchers at Citizen Lab have monitored Israeli spyware firm NSO Group and its banner product, Pegasus. In 2019, Citizen Lab reported finding dozens of cases in which Pegasus was used to target the phones of journalists and human rights defenders via a WhatsApp security vulnerability. Now NSO, which is blacklisted by the U.S. government for selling spyware to repressive regimes, is trying to use a lawsuit over the WhatsApp exploit to learn “how Citizen Lab conducted its analysis.” The lawsuit, filed in U.S. federal court in 2019 by WhatsApp and Meta (then Facebook), alleges that NSO sent Pegasus and other malware to approximately 1,400 devices across the globe. For more than four years, NSO has failed repeatedly to get the case thrown out. With the lawsuit now moving forward, NSO is trying a different tactic: demanding repeatedly that Citizen Lab, which is based in Canada, hand over every single document about its Pegasus investigation. A judge denied NSO’s latest attempt to get access to Citizen Lab’s materials last week.

This week's edition of our newsletter is out now! Today we're looking at the latest developments surrounding the misuse of commercial spyware. Recent reports by Access Now and Citizen Lab have shed light on the deployment of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware to surveil journalists, human rights lawyers and activists in Jordan between 2019 and 2023. These reports underscore the ongoing challenges in curbing the spyware industry, which remains largely unregulated and poses significant threats to privacy, freedom of expression and democratic processes. In addition to this, we look at the suspension of mobile internet on election day in Pakistan and why China can't export its model of surveillance. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/enDmg6H8

Over 500 people targeted by Pegasus spyware in Poland, officials say. Why it matters: 1. Extensive Surveillance Exposed: Nearly 578 Polish citizens were targeted with Pegasus spyware between 2017 and 2022, revealing the scale of surveillance undertaken by the government. This powerful tool, sold by Israel's NSO Group, is typically reserved for tracking criminals and conducting foreign intelligence but has been misused to spy on politicians, activists, and journalists, challenging ethical norms and legal boundaries. 2. Political and Electoral Implications: The revelation that the largest number of infections occurred in 2021 underscores concerns about the use of such spyware during politically sensitive periods, such as election seasons. The targeting of opposition figures and the implications for Poland's democratic processes have sparked significant controversy, especially regarding the fairness of the 2019 elections. 3. Calls for Accountability: The current investigation into the unauthorized deployment of Pegasus by former and current government officials highlights a broader push for accountability in the use of surveillance technologies. With Poland's efforts being some of the most extensive in the EU, the outcome could set a precedent for how democracies manage and regulate the use of spyware against their citizens. Learn more by visiting The Record from Recorded Future News: https://lnkd.in/dqdeMcgw