U.S. Blacklists Israel's NSO Group, Maker of Pegasus Spyware
- Israeli companies added to Commerce ‘entity list’ over spyware
- NSO ‘dismayed’ by decision and will push for a reversal
NSO Group offices in Herzliya, Israel.
Photographer: Daniella Cheslow/AP Photo
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The U.S. added two Israeli firms including NSO Group, as well as companies based in Russia and Singapore, to a list of entities banned from receiving exports from American companies, citing their roles in developing and supplying spyware and hacking tools.
Israel’s NSO -- the maker of Pegasus spyware -- and Candiru were added to the so-called entity list based on evidence that they developed and supplied spyware to foreign governments, the Commerce Department said in a statement on Wednesday. The governments then used the tools to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics and embassy workers, Commerce said.