ICE reactivates contract with spyware maker Paragon | TechCrunch

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the United States Sign a contract Last year with Israel Spyware Manufacturer Paragon is worth $2 million.

Soon after, Biden gave the medicine Review the contractissue a “stop work order” to determine whether the contract is in compliance with Executive Order Regarding commercial spyware, the software restricts the use of spyware that may violate human rights or target Americans abroad.

According to public records, about a year later, when the contract looks exhausted and will never be active, ICE canceled the stop work order.

“This contract is a proprietary solution for full configurations, including licenses, hardware, warranty, maintenance and training. This modification is intended to increase stop work orders,” said Dr. Read updates Date on August 30 on the U.S. Government Federal Procurement Data System, which is a database of government contracts.

Independent journalist Jack Poulson He was the first to report news in his newsletter.

Paragon has cultivated the image of becoming a “ethical” and responsible spyware maker over the years, compared to controversial spyware vendors such as hacker teams Intelexaand NSO Group. In it Official websiteParagon claims that clients provide “ethical-based tools, teams and insights.”

Spyware manufacturers face ethical dilemma. Now that the contract with ICE’s Information Technology Department is already active, Paragon can decide whether to continue with ICE, whose agencies have greatly increased their mass deportations and expanded their surveillance rights as Donald Trump took over the White House.

Paragon spokesman Emily Horne and executive chairman John Fleming did not respond to requests for comment.

To show its integrity, Fleming told Techcrunch in February this year Sold to the U.S. government and other unspecified allies.

Paragon has had to face difficult moral dilemmas. In January, WhatsApp revealed that about 90 users, including journalists and human rights workers, Once located by Paragon’s spywarecalled graphite. In the next few days and weeks, Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato and Some Local relocation Radicals Stand up and say they were victims.

In response to this scandal Paragon cuts ties with Italian governmentMeanwhile, it’s an inquiry to determine what’s going on. Then, in June, the Digital Rights Research Group Citizen Laboratory Two other reporters confirmeda European who wanted to be named and a colleague of Cancellato, was hacked by Paragon’s spyware.

Italian Parliamentary Committee Conclude that pro-migrating activist spies are legalbut it also claims there is no evidence that the Italian intelligence agency is a former Paragon client, whose target is Cancellato.

“These tools were designed for dictatorship, not based on democracy that protects individual rights,” John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab, told TechCrunch.

Even spyware is “corrupt”, the researchers say, which is why “there are increasing spyware scandals in democracies, including using Paragon’s graphite. To make matters worse, Paragon is still blocking spyware abusers. Just look at the undefined hackers of Italian journalists.”