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India Hunts For Spyware That Rivals Controversial Pegasus System - Slashdot
source link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/03/31/0956227/india-hunts-for-spyware-that-rivals-controversial-pegasus-system
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India Hunts For Spyware That Rivals Controversial Pegasus System
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India Hunts For Spyware That Rivals Controversial Pegasus System (ft.com)
Posted by msmash
on Friday March 31, 2023 @10:40AM from the how-about-that dept.
India is hunting for new spyware with a lower profile than the controversial Pegasus system blacklisted by the US government, with rival surveillance software makers preparing bids on lucrative deals being offered by Narendra Modi's government. Financial Times: Defence and intelligence officials from the South Asian country have decided to acquire spyware from less exposed competitors to the NSO Group, the Israeli makers of Pegasus, according to people familiar with the move, seeking to spend up to $120mn through new spyware contracts. About a dozen competitors are expected to join the bidding process, according to two people with knowledge of the talks, stepping into the void created by the pressure on NSO from human rights groups and the administration of US President Joe Biden.
India's move shows how demand for this sophisticated -- and largely unregulated -- technology remains strong despite growing evidence that governments worldwide have abused spyware by targeting dissidents and critics. India has never publicly acknowledged being a customer of NSO. However, the company's malware has been found on the phones of journalists, left-leaning academics and opposition leaders around India, sparking a political crisis. Pegasus can turn phones into surveillance devices and can hoover up encrypted WhatsApp and Signal messages surreptitiously. Modi government officials have grown concerned about the "PR problem" caused by the ability of human rights groups to forensically trace Pegasus, as well as warnings from Apple and WhatsApp to those who have been targeted, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
India's move shows how demand for this sophisticated -- and largely unregulated -- technology remains strong despite growing evidence that governments worldwide have abused spyware by targeting dissidents and critics. India has never publicly acknowledged being a customer of NSO. However, the company's malware has been found on the phones of journalists, left-leaning academics and opposition leaders around India, sparking a political crisis. Pegasus can turn phones into surveillance devices and can hoover up encrypted WhatsApp and Signal messages surreptitiously. Modi government officials have grown concerned about the "PR problem" caused by the ability of human rights groups to forensically trace Pegasus, as well as warnings from Apple and WhatsApp to those who have been targeted, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
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