Is That an Iceberg or Dark Matter, Captain?
October 11, 2021
The spyware downloaded on your computer appears innocuous compared to what Gizmodo article: “The Ex-NSA Operative Cyber-Mercenary Scandal Shows The Spyware Industry Is Totally Out Of Control” discusses. Three ex-US intelligence operatives were almost charged with crimes related to work when they were employed by DarkMatter. DarkMatter is a cybersecurity company located in the United Arab Emirates.
The ex-operatives worked on Project Raven that helped the UAE government spy on its critics. They hacked computers around the world, including the United States. The ex-operatives avoided jail time thanks to a loophole that allows them to pay a $1.6 million fine. One of the accused, Daniel Gericke, is now employed by ExpressVPN, a prominent cyber security company.
ExpressVPN defended hiring Gericke and said they were aware of his actions on Project Raven. What is even more alarming is that surveillance experts are living double lives. The legally sell their services to reputable organizations as well as bad actors. It is like a weapons manufacturer who instigates war to augment their fortune.
There are organizations that are calling for an end to the double dipping in surveillance sales:
“However, privacy advocates have suggested that simply banning the occasional company from operation or the occasional prosecution is not going to be enough. Amnesty International, which helped expose NSO abuses, has called for a global moratorium on the sale of spyware products until a “human rights-compliant regulatory framework” can be developed and implemented. Other activists have similarly suggested that all sales should be halted until governments can “investigate and regulate this industry”—the likes of which is poorly understood by lawmakers and everyday people alike.”
Unfortunately the surveillance bad actors probably will not be reined in until a tragedy happens.
Whitney Grace, October 11, 2021
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