Israeli Exploit Developer Caught Negotiating Spyware Sales With Saudi Government

from the got-'em-right-in-the-optics dept

More ugly news has surfaced about Israeli malware developer NSO Group. Over the past year, investigations have uncovered sales of phone-targeting spyware to countries known mostly for their human rights violations. Even less questionable governments have purchased NSO's software ostensibly for law enforcement purposes only to use it to target activists, journalists, and government critics.

There's no telling how US agencies will deploy this malware, but there's no question federal entities like the DEA think NSO spyware would be a useful addition to their investigative tool kits. The US government doesn't appear to be worried about getting in bed with tech companies willing to sell software to blacklisted countries, so NSO Group is still a viable option.

Haaretz has obtained information showing NSO is willing to sell its exploits to its own enemies. Unfortunately, Haaretz has also decided to paywall its discovery, so we'll be pointing you to the Times of Israel's reporting instead.

An Israeli company that specializes in cyber espionage tools reportedly negotiated a multi-million-dollar deal with Saudi Arabia to sell a technology that allows governments to hack their citizens’ cellphones, and to listen to calls as well as conversations that take place near the phones. Representatives from the Herzliya-based NSO Group held meetings with Saudi officials in Vienna and, apparently, also in a Gulf State to negotiate a $55 million sale of their Pegasus 3 software, the Haaretz daily reported on Sunday.

These negotiations occurred shortly before Mohammed bin Salman kicked his purge machinery into high gear. Unfortunately, the documents (which surfaced due to a lawsuit filed against NSO by an employee who says the company screwed him on commissions) don't say whether or not the Saudi government chose to purchase this software and/or whether it was used to help MBS hunt down his political opponents.

From what has been seen, NSO tried to play it both ways while negotiating a deal with the Saudis. It refused to identify the person behind an anti-government Twitter account but did offer to demonstrate the effectiveness of tools designed to hijack targets' cellphones.

In response to the recent stream of criticism, NSO Group also tried to have it both ways:

The NSO Group has insisted in the past that it sells its software to clients on the condition that it be used only against crime and terrorism, and has shirked responsibility in cases where it was allegedly used for civil rights abuses.

"We made them promise to only use the tools for good" is a pretty weak defense of sales to countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. And it certainly doesn't excuse approaching the Saudi government with tools NSO certainly knew would not be used for good. Then again, our president just made it clear no amount of murdered journalists is going to stand in the way of selling weapons to Mohammed bin Salman's government, so there's really no taking the high road in international relations should it be discovered the Saudi government is using Israeli tools to hunt down dissenters… or Israeli natsec personnel.

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Filed Under: espionage, exploits, israel, jamal khashoggi, journalists, mohammed bin salman, saudi arabia, spying

Companies: nso group