Facebook locks out 1,500 fake accounts used by cyber-spy firms to snoop on people, alerts 50k potential targets Facebook successor Meta on Thursday said it canceled 1,500 social media accounts used by seven surveillance-for-hire firms to conduct online attacks against government critics and members of civil society. These accounts were primarily used to observe targets and lure them into visiting malicious websites, or receiving booby- …
We need to keep these names in mind as well :
Cobweb Technologies
Cognyte
Black Cube
Bluehawk CI
BellTroX
Cytrox
And we also need to be aware that there are more than that. NSO was just the tip of the iceberg. Even if it is shutting down, the people behind it are not going away to become burger-flippers. They will be back under another name.
Or, perhaps, they're not known because these things are basically illegal (even though they don't get prosecuted) so we don't have access to the full list. But don't let that get in the way as you make up unsubstantiated claims of who is using these services.
I'm happy to make unsubstantiated claim that it's used by ALL major democracies, i.e. UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, etc. Plus, no doubt, many other, who can afford it, our Middle East 'friends', plus Russia and their Central Asia friends.
Or should I expect the UK gov they're going to self-investigate and announce the result in public? That's what a 'democratic' government would do, eh?
... if law enforcement could infiltrate some of the on-line groups being used to organize grab and dash theft mobs. But then that's not likely to be Facebook. Facebook is for old people. If law enforcement wants to intercept illegal on-line activity (either criminal or terrorist) they are going to have to follow the suspects to their current hangouts.
I recall at one time that the number of fake/duplicate/evil accounts on FB was estimated to be well into the tens of millions. I know of several dead people that still have FB accounts. Active accounts too as friends/family keep them going. Every service has this problem. I get reminders from Linkedin to wish good cheer on departed friends for a work anniversary.
About Nexa Technologies, the company and four of its executives have been indicted for "complicity in torture" two months ago, for the spying software they sold to Egypt. Those executives were ex-executives of Amesys, which is also indicted for having sold spying software to Gaddafi.
What a nice bunch of bastards. May all their victims be avenged.
int main(enter the void)... The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
