The United States has imposed new sanctions on a commercial spyware company led by a former Israeli military officer. The company, Intellexa Consortium, is accused of creating software that enables unauthorized access to information stored on smartphones, allowing for mass surveillance activities globally. The sanctions target five individuals and one entity associated with Intellexa, a network of companies based in Greece with branches in North Macedonia, Hungary, Ireland, and the British Virgin Islands. The company’s spyware tools, known as Predator, could infiltrate a target’s device without the need for the user to click on a link or attachment.
According to U.S. officials, the program provided access to the device’s camera, microphone, as well as stored data and files on the compromised phone. Bradley T. Smith, acting undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, emphasized the U.S.’s stance against technologies that threaten national security and violate the privacy and civil liberties of citizens. Earlier this year, certain subsidiaries of Intellexa and two employees, including the founder Tal Dilian, were sanctioned by the Biden administration. In the preceding year, the Commerce Department restricted Intellexa and one of its subsidiaries from accessing U.S. technology.
The individuals facing the new penalties held key positions at Intellexa or its subsidiaries. Additionally, the Aliada Group, a subsidiary based in the British Virgin Islands, was sanctioned for facilitating financial transactions totaling tens of millions of dollars for Intellexa. Intellexa, established in 2019, was founded by Tal Dilian, with Sara Hamou, a corporate offshoring specialist, offering managerial services. Sanctioned individuals and organizations are prohibited from conducting business or financial transactions within the U.S. or with U.S. entities.
A report by Amnesty International’s Security Lab revealed that Predator was utilized to target individuals like the president of the European Parliament, the president of Taiwan, and U.S. lawmakers. Spyware incidents involving Predator were also reported in Greece, leading to the resignation of two top officials last year.