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L3 Harris is in talks to buy the technology from NSO Group. Completion of the contract would mean that the Pentagon contractor would take control of Pegasus. “This is a counterintelligence and national security threat to the United States,” warn the specialists. What will the Biden administration do?
That L3 Harris is considering taking over surveillance technology from Israeli group NSO was first reported by Intelligence Online, citing its sources. As the Guardian adds, talks are underway on this subject.
Conclusion of a business-to-business contract would give the Pentagon contractor control of one of the most advanced and, at the same time, controversial spy systems in the world. I speak – well known in our country – Pegasus.
Acquiring NSO Group’s technology would add to Harris’ arsenal of L3 surveillance tools offered to US government and law enforcement customers. Recall that the Pentagon contractor is based in Florida and that its annual turnover amounts to approximately 18 billion dollars. The company’s products are intended for, among others, NATO countries.
British daily sources say that talks focused on selling underlying technology or code and “transferring” personnel from NSO Group to L3 Harris. Completing the deal will not be easy, however, due to the necessary consent of the US government and Israel, and they have not yet given the proverbial “green light”.
Joe Biden’s administration is sounding the alarm and warning him the conclusion of the agreement and its subsequent ramifications would raise serious concerns for American counterintelligence and security. “We are deeply concerned,” a senior White House official who, due to the sensitivity of the matter, wishes to remain anonymous, told the Washington Post.
According to the American daily, the technology of the NSO group would only be used by the United States and its trusted allies. Despite this, Washington criticizes the agreement.
“The government opposes efforts by foreign companies to circumvent U.S. export controls or sanctions,” the White House official added.
Concerns about counterintelligence relate to the fact that the producer of Pegasus has a close relationship with the Israeli government. For example, the country’s Ministry of Defense must sign all company contracts.
As @jsrailton (who should know!) states that it would be bad for the United States, for security in general, and for human rights. We need *fewer* mercenary for-hire surveillance organizations, not defense contractors giving the business model a patina of legitimacy. https://t.co/YW18n02aon
-Nathaniel Gleicher (@ngleicher) June 14, 2022
Moreover, Israel, despite being a close partner of the United States, he is not a member of the Five Eyes Intelligence Community (US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand).
“It is doubtful that the most elite intelligence services, such as the CIA, the NSA or the GCHQ (British – editor’s note), would trust the technology (bought from the NSO group – editor’s note) during their sensitive operations”, estimates John Scott Railton. of the Citizen Lab, quoted by the American daily.
In his opinion the maker of Pegasus is not a company that puts US national security first. Plus, it “doesn’t fit” well with the US tech sector.
Recall that in November last year the US Department of Commerce placed the so-called “Blacklist” of the NSO group. It has to do with the use of the company’s system by foreign governments to monitor politicians, journalists, activists, scientists, etc. in the whole world.
The department’s decision prohibited the Israeli company from using American technology, which influenced its business. As noted, Israeli officials are pressuring the US government to remove the NSO group from the “blacklist”.
NSO couldn’t sell its dangerous spyware directly to the USG, so it tries to sneak out the backdoor by getting bought out by a spy company that sells to US law enforcement. https://t.co/4voMVDJ1oB
-Jennifer Granick (@granick) June 14, 2022
Possible Finalizing L3 Harris deal won’t change Washington’s decision. “Every American company, and especially a Pentagon-approved contractor, should know that a deal with a ‘blacklisted’ company will not automatically remove them from it,” a White House official quoted by the Washington Post.
As “Guardian” adds, L3 Harris contract with NSO Group will launch review to determine whether the transaction poses a counterintelligence threat to the United States and its systems and information, and whether other U.S. defense agreements with a counterparty are still secure.
The obstacles to finalizing the deal also lie with the Israelis. This is because the cyber and tech industry in this country is based on the assumption that the solutions should be overseen by this country. For this reason, the staff and the entire development process of Pegasus should remain in Israel.
It is no secret that the NSO Group is regulated by the Ministry of Defence. It has a decisive influence on the company’s customers. For this reason, the ministry is responsible for selling the technology to countries that violate fundamental rights and freedoms, which has been heavily criticized.
Reaching the deal will also spark strong opposition from digital and human rights advocates. Already, Access Now is calling on the Joe Biden administration to issue a formal pledge that will make it clear that the US government:
- will not endorse any contract to which a blacklisted company is a party;
- opposes any attempt to circumvent the consequences of the “blacklist”, including through the acquisition of assets by a US entity.
“NSO Group should not be rewarded for helping to violate human rights and business practices with a lucrative offer from a US defense contractor,” Access Now attorney Natalia Krapiva said in a statement. statement on the case.
According to her, a deal between the Pegasus producer and L3 Harris would be “an attack on the human rights and national security interests of the United States, and a clear signal that the spyware industry is worth the risk“. And that could open the door to more deals like this.
Access Now points out that if the deal is done it will also undermine Joe Biden’s Democratic agenda.
11 / @POTUS & administrator build trust with the human rights community after years of damage.
These efforts are essential, in particular. against a backdrop of resurgent authoritarianism.
But a deal with the ONS would send a clear global signal: when it counts, the White House is *not* an ally. *
— John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton) June 14, 2022
There are voices saying that the acquisition of NSO Group’s technology by a Pentagon contractor is somehow aimed at “cleaning up” the Pegasus scandal and putting the Israeli company on the “blacklist”. The resulting sanctions largely affect the company – information circulates about financial problems and even about the real risk of bankruptcy. In addition, the Israeli government recently lobbied Washington to remove the NSO group from the “blacklist”.
So far, the White House has criticized the possible deal that would benefit L3 Harris, challenging the argument that buying the technology is a way to circumvent sanctions.
However, there is a gateway here. We are talking about the possibility of creating a completely new company with a different name.
The resumption of solutions from the NSO group can be linked to the desire to develop spy technology based on the Pegasus, which has been talked about so much lately and which explains why law enforcement and/or intelligence agencies no longer trust. It is possible that the Americans want to introduce something new to their solutions through the transaction.
The Pegasus case is also known in Poland. It was used to spy e.g. Senator Krzysztof Brejza (KO chief of staff in the 2019 elections), boss Roman Giertych (associated with the opposition) and prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek.
There are more people under surveillance. The scandal in our country was revealed by specialists from the Citizen Lab, and the case is currently being investigated by the Extraordinary Committee of the Senate and the Committee of Inquiry of the European Parliament. We describe the situation continuously on our website.
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