Intellexa and Cytrox were added to a federal ‘entity list’ that prohibits American companies from engaging in certain trade activities with them.
U.S. gov adds Intellexa S.A. (Greece) to Entity List for Malicious Cyber Activities based on a determination that it engaged in trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems,threatening the privacy & security of individuals and organizations worldwide.
Four companies were added to the list: Intellexa S.A. (Greece), Intellexa Limited (Ireland), Cytrox AD (North Macedonia), Cytrox Holdings Crt (Hungary).
"The proliferation of commercial spyware poses distinct and growing counterintelligence and security risks to the United States, including to the safety and security of U.S. government personnel and their families."
The decision is part of an ongoing effort to address the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware, according to senior administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to brief reporters on the matter. The move is the most significant since President Biden issued an executive order in March that sets limits on U.S. agencies’ use of spyware and bars the technology’s use when there’s a risk it could be exploited by foreign governments to target Americans or violate human rights.
That action serves as a “strong signal” to entities that use commercial spyware, as well as the surveillance industry as a whole, a senior administration official said.
The misuse of these tools globally has also facilitated repression and enabled human rights abuses, including to intimidate political opponents and curb dissent, limit freedom of expression, and monitor and target activists and journalists.
