Why has Italian spyware evaded U.S. sanctions for years?
Experts found that the spyware that was used to spy on Kazakh citizens in 2022 was not developed in Kazakhstan and was not bought from well-known suppliers from Israel - the program belongs to the Italian company RCS Labs, which appeared on the market back in 1992, long before spyware markets were formed in other European countries.
Hermit was also used in Syria and Italy. According to data released by Wikileaks in 2015, RCS cooperated with the military and intelligence agencies in countries such as Pakistan, Chile, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Turkmenistan.
Italy has become one of the major centers for the development of spyware in Europe. There are several large companies that sell their solutions without strict control. For example, the Italian Ministry of Justice has set a tariff for renting spyware at €150 per day. This allows law enforcement agencies to use such tools without incurring high purchase costs.
Italian companies such as RCS Labs and Memento Labs (formerly Hacking Team) are actively selling their developments abroad. Unlike the Israeli NSO Group, their software does not cause such a resonance and does not fall under US sanctions, since Italian programs were not used to attack US citizens.
The Italian spyware market remains one of the largest in the world. Companies create more accessible and cheaper solutions than complex programs like Pegasus. At the same time, their programs can also intercept calls, messages, turn on the microphone and camera on devices.
In recent years, Italy has repeatedly tried to restrict the use of spyware. In 2017, reforms were proposed to control the use of such programs, but the law was not passed then. However, from February 2024, a new law comes into force that requires judges to independently review before granting permission to use spyware.
However, experts doubt that the new law will significantly change the situation. There is still no single body in the country that would control the use of spyware. Prosecutors and the police can easily obtain permission to use it, which is what makes such programs so popular in Italy.
Recall that the Italian police are investigating a case of illegal access to state databases, in which four people were placed under house arrest, and investigative actions are being carried out against dozens of people, including Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, the son of the founder of Luxottica.
Also in February, it was reported that 8 IT companies have created a global user tracking system. This became known after Meta Platforms announced restrictions on the malicious activities of companies from Italy, Spain and the UAE engaged in custom espionage. The developed spyware was aimed at iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
Source
Experts found that the spyware that was used to spy on Kazakh citizens in 2022 was not developed in Kazakhstan and was not bought from well-known suppliers from Israel - the program belongs to the Italian company RCS Labs, which appeared on the market back in 1992, long before spyware markets were formed in other European countries.
Hermit was also used in Syria and Italy. According to data released by Wikileaks in 2015, RCS cooperated with the military and intelligence agencies in countries such as Pakistan, Chile, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Turkmenistan.
Italy has become one of the major centers for the development of spyware in Europe. There are several large companies that sell their solutions without strict control. For example, the Italian Ministry of Justice has set a tariff for renting spyware at €150 per day. This allows law enforcement agencies to use such tools without incurring high purchase costs.
Italian companies such as RCS Labs and Memento Labs (formerly Hacking Team) are actively selling their developments abroad. Unlike the Israeli NSO Group, their software does not cause such a resonance and does not fall under US sanctions, since Italian programs were not used to attack US citizens.
The Italian spyware market remains one of the largest in the world. Companies create more accessible and cheaper solutions than complex programs like Pegasus. At the same time, their programs can also intercept calls, messages, turn on the microphone and camera on devices.
In recent years, Italy has repeatedly tried to restrict the use of spyware. In 2017, reforms were proposed to control the use of such programs, but the law was not passed then. However, from February 2024, a new law comes into force that requires judges to independently review before granting permission to use spyware.
However, experts doubt that the new law will significantly change the situation. There is still no single body in the country that would control the use of spyware. Prosecutors and the police can easily obtain permission to use it, which is what makes such programs so popular in Italy.
Recall that the Italian police are investigating a case of illegal access to state databases, in which four people were placed under house arrest, and investigative actions are being carried out against dozens of people, including Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, the son of the founder of Luxottica.
Also in February, it was reported that 8 IT companies have created a global user tracking system. This became known after Meta Platforms announced restrictions on the malicious activities of companies from Italy, Spain and the UAE engaged in custom espionage. The developed spyware was aimed at iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
Source
