Israeli Spyware Firm Hacked 10 Countries, Watchdog

News Desk

Islamabad: Hacking tools from an Israeli company have been used against journalists, activists, and opposition figures in at least ten different countries, including those in North America and Europe.

According to new research published by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) and the internet watchdog Citizen Lab, it has identified a small number of victims from the civil society sector whose iPhones had been hacked using surveillance software created by the Israeli company QuaDream Ltd., a less well-known rival to the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which the US government has blacklisted due to allegations of abuse.

In its report published at the same time, Microsoft said it believed with “high confidence” that the spyware was “strongly linked to QuaDream.”

Microsoft Associate General Counsel Amy Hogan-Burney said that mercenary hacking groups like QuaDream “thrive in the shadows” and that publicly outing them was “essential to stopping this activity.”

Reuters reported in 2022 that QuaDream had previously developed a no-interaction-needed hacking tool similar to the programmes deployed by NSO. Such hacking tools, known as ‘zero-click,’ are particularly prized by cybercriminals, spies, and law enforcement because they can remotely compromise devices without an owner needing to open a malicious link or download a tainted attachment.

Even though neither Citizen Lab nor Microsoft identified the targets of QuaDream’s software,the claim might nonetheless be detrimental for the firm.

The reports follow US President Joe Biden’s announcement of a crackdown on the global spyware sector. The White House made an executive order public last month with the goal of discouraging US government agencies from purchasing surveillance programmes if those systems are being used by oppressive regimes abroad.

The Israeli firm has maintained a lesser profile than NSO, which frequently briefed journalists in the wake of abuse claims. Reuters previously reported that the company does not have a website promoting its services and that staff members have been instructed to refrain from mentioning their employment on social media.