Dozens of surveillance companies are providing spyware technology used by governments around the world to spy on the mobile phones of journalists, human rights defenders, dissidents and political opponents. Google’s Threat Analysis Group has identified and is actively tracking up to 40 companies involved in selling security exploits and surveillance capabilities to governments with poor human rights records. The trade extends beyond well known spyware companies, like Israel’s NSO Group, Italy’s Cy4Gate and Intellexa in Greece, and includes an extended supply chain of smaller companies which provide surveillance capabilities. Google’s publication of the report coincided with a joint French, and UK initiative, known as the Pall Mall Process, agreed at an international conference at Lancaster House in London, which aspires to introduce safeguards to the use of commercial spyware.
Join our Cyber Program for an online discussion about the proposal for a UN Cyber Programme of Action (PoA). What is the current status, what will happen next, and what does the stakeholder community think about a Cyber PoA?
There is no evidence of anything about the UN Arms Trade Treaty leading to peace. The Institute for Economics & Peace, in its Global Peace Index, admitted.