UK government says 100 countries have spyware that can hack people's phones
TechCrunch • • world
Key Points:
- Over half of the world’s governments, now totaling 100 countries, have access to commercial spyware capable of infiltrating computers and phones to steal sensitive data, according to U.K. intelligence.
- The U.K. National Cyber Security Centre warns that the lowered barriers to acquiring such spyware increase risks to U.K. citizens, companies, and critical infrastructure from foreign governments and hackers.
- Commercial spyware, developed by firms like NSO Group and Paragon, exploits software vulnerabilities and has been misused to target not only criminals and terrorists but also journalists, political opponents, bankers, and wealthy businesspeople.
- British companies are criticized for underestimating cyber threats, with most significant cyberattacks against the U.K. attributed to foreign adversarial governments rather than criminal gangs.
- China-linked cyber intrusions continue to target sensitive data and prepare for potential military conflicts, while cybercriminals also pose a threat through leaked hacking toolkits like DarkSword that exploit vulnerabilities in Apple devices.
