US Enforces Sanctions on Spyware Firm Intellexa

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Intellexa, a commercial spyware company led by former Israeli military officer Tal Dilian. Intellexa's spyware, Predator, has been linked to mass surveillance globally. The sanctions target five individuals and one organization connected to Intellexa for their role in illicit surveillance activities.

The United States announced new sanctions Monday against a commercial spyware company, Intellexa, led by former Israeli military officer Tal Dilian. The firm's program enabled easy access to almost any data stored on smartphones.

US officials and researchers indicate that Intellexa Consortium's products facilitated global mass surveillance, empowering unethical actors to track and retrieve sensitive data from dissidents, journalists, and political figures. The sanctions affect five individuals and one entity tied to Intellexa, a Greece-based network with subsidiaries in North Macedonia, Hungary, Ireland, and the British Virgin Islands. Known as Predator, their spyware can infiltrate a target's device without requiring any interaction from the user and grants access to the camera, microphone, and stored files.

Bradley T. Smith, acting undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, stated, "The United States will not tolerate the reckless propagation of disruptive technologies that threaten our national security and undermine the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens." Earlier sanctions this year targeted Intellexa's subsidiaries and two employees, including its founder. Last year, the Commerce Department blacklisted Intellexa, denying access to US technology.

The new penalties affect individuals holding senior roles within Intellexa or its subsidiaries, according to officials. The Aliada Group, another subsidiary, also faces sanctions for allegedly facilitating financial transactions for Intellexa worth tens of millions of dollars. Requests for comments from Intellexa and its executives were not immediately returned Monday.

Intellexa was established in 2019 by Tal Dilian, who, along with Sara Hamou, a corporate offshoring expert, faced sanctions earlier this year. Individuals and organizations under these sanctions are barred from conducting business or financial transactions in the US or with US entities.

Amnesty International's Security Lab reported last year that Predator targeted key figures, including the president of the European Parliament and the president of Taiwan, as well as US representatives. Europe has also experienced several spyware-related incidents, with Predator usage in Greece leading to the resignation of two top officials in 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)