A woman walks near a branch of the NSO Group 'Cyber Intelligence for Global Security and Stability' at Sapir Industrial Park, near the town of Sapir, southern Israel, on June 8, 2023. The company is one of the commercial spy agencies targeted by the U.S. government in the past. File Photo by Atef Safadi/EPA-EFE
March 18 (UPI) -- The White House said on Monday that six countries have joined an international effort to counter the spread and misuse of commercial spyware mostly used by authoritarian regimes to control and restrict their political opponents and others.
Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Poland and South Korea all joined the commitment to work together to reel in bad actors using the technology. They join the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
The White House said the countries "recognize the threat posed by the misuse of commercial spyware and the need for strict domestic international controls on the proliferation and use of such technology."
The countries said some of the steps to combat misuse of commercial spyware would include setting up "robust guardrails" to ensure use of the technology by their governments respects human rights, civil rights and civil liberties as well as the rule of law.
They said they would also aim to limit the spyware's exports, raise awareness about the tools, track commercial spyware and its uses more closely and work with partners to limit the its use.
"Our efforts will allow us to work collectively for the first time as we develop and implement policies to discourage the misuse of commercial spyware and encourage the development and implementation of responsible use principles that are consistent with respect for universal human rights, the rule of law and civil rights and civil liberties," the White House said.
Israel-based Pegasus has been the focal point of some concern in the past. The nonprofit Access Now reported last month that Jordan is likely using Pegasus spyware to follow journalists, activists, attorneys and nongovernmental agency leaders.
The report accused Jordan of using the software to shut down press freedoms and limit civic space in the country.
In 2021, the Commerce Department sanctioned the NSO Group and other companies in Israel, Russia and Singapore for malicious cyberactivity. The department said the companies acted "contrary to the foreign policy and national security interests of the U.S."
