BACKGROUND:
Reuters is reporting that The US Commerce Dept. has put Israel’s NSO Group and Candiru on its trade blacklist on Wednesday, as a result of their sale of spyware to foreign governments that used the equipment to target government officials, journalists and others. Also added to the blacklist were Positive Technologies of Russia, and Computer Security Initiative Consultancy PTE LTD, from Singapore, who the Commerce Dept. said trafficked in cyber tools enabling unauthorized access to computer networks. An expert with SecurityGate offers perspective.
<p>Cyber tools used for spying operations have increased in capability but also notoriety in recent years. Here, the United States is on the side of the angels (relief organizations, dissidents, refugees, and more) that have been targeted and persecuted using information gained by authoritarian governments. Economic measures can be effective against these groups, although the effort can seem like hitting puddles with sledgehammers as they reform in other ways. Still, this is a good thing, and another would be if the US government stopped continually trying to get “back doors” installed in its own citizens’ electronics. For those concerned about the spy technology, keeping up-to-date operating systems and regularly rebooting (at least daily) seem to be effective.</p>