The New York Times reports on an Israeli tech company selling surveillance tools to help governments break through smartphone encryption. The NSO Group offers their tech to law enforcement agencies and governments. One of the company’s products is the Pegasus, a track system used to target iPhones, Androids and BlackBerrys. The Pegasus mines a target’s text messages, contact lists, calendar records, emails and GPS locations. While the company says it markets its services to fight terrorism, critics believe the technology is used to target journalists and human rights activists. “There’s no check on this,” said University of Toronto’s Bill Marczak. “Once NSO’s systems are sold, governments can essentially use them however they want. NSO can say they’re trying to make the world a safer place, but they are also making the world a more surveilled place.” (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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