22 countries led by UK and France unite against commercial spyware

07/02/2024 | Infosecurity Magazine

The United Kingdom and France organised a two-day conference on 6 and 7 February 2024 at Lancaster House in London to address the rise of commercial cyber intrusion capabilities. The conference was attended by representatives from governments, the private sector, and civil society. The conference led to the launch of the Pall Mall Process, an international initiative to tackle the proliferation and irresponsible use of commercial cyber intrusion tools and services. The United States, the UK, France, and 22 other nations signed the agreement. The agreement was also supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council, the African Union, and representatives from 14 business and tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Apple, Meta, and BAE Systems.

In related news, new research from Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) highlights the commercial surveillance industry and its impact on free speech, the free press, and the open internet. The report provides insights into the developers, sellers, and deployers of spyware, as well as how commercial surveillance vendors (CSVs) operate and the types of products they sell. While some CSVs are well-known, the report highlights the dozens of others that play an important role in developing spyware. The report also notes that the private sector now has a significant portion of the most advanced cyber capabilities, creating a new threat landscape. 

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