←back to thread

ICE obtains access to Israeli-made spyware that hack phones and encrypted apps

(www.theguardian.com)
192 points pera | 3 comments | 02 Sep 25 18:12 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
bawolff ◴[02 Sep 25 20:23 UTC] No.45108510[source]▶
In some ways i think the most interesting aspect is that US federal government has to outsource its spyware.

Is it just that the NSA is unwilling (legally prevented?) to share their toys? Its hard to imagine they don't have capabilities like this.

replies(3): >>45108593 #>>45108702 #>>45109494 #
1. x0x0 ◴[02 Sep 25 20:30 UTC] No.45108593[source]▶
I suspect the nsa doesn't want to burn their 0 days on this.
replies(1): >>45108773 #
2. itqwertz ◴[02 Sep 25 20:42 UTC] No.45108773[source]▶
I suspect Israel does whatever they want under the auspices of national security, gives “private” cybersecurity corporations latitude to circumvent international laws, then packages it all up to sell to the highest bidder.
replies(1): >>45109963 #
3. bawolff ◴[02 Sep 25 22:29 UTC] No.45109963[source]▶
It seems pretty unlikely that selling a zero-day to a state actor is a violation of international law, unless the vendor knows that state actor intends to use it to commit an internationally wrongful act.

Like at the very worst - selling "cyberweapons" would follow the same rules as selling actual weapons.

I don't super follow US politics, but i don't think we are at the point where ICE is comitting crimes against humanity - which i think is what would be required for this transaction to violate international law.