Expanding Horizons: Unveiling the Brazen Scope of the ‘Predator Files’ Spyware Scandal

Report: Shocking Spyware Attacks Target Civil Society, Journalists, and Politicians

Amnesty International has conducted a major investigation revealing shocking spyware attacks against civil society, journalists, politicians, and academics in the European Union (EU), USA, and Asia. The investigation, known as the ‘Predator Files’ project, was carried out in partnership with the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) and supported by Mediapart and Der Spiegel. The investigation uncovered the use of highly invasive spyware called Predator, developed and sold by the Intellexa alliance, which targeted at least 50 accounts belonging to 27 individuals and 23 institutions through social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook between February and June 2023.

Powerful Surveillance Tools Used in Brazen Attacks

The Predator spyware, once infiltrated into a device, grants unfettered access to its microphone, camera, and all data without the user’s knowledge. Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard emphasizes that the victims of these attacks extend beyond the targeted individuals to include society as a whole, good governance, and human rights. Callamard further criticizes the Intellexa alliance, the developers of Predator and other surveillance products, for failing to limit the use of this spyware and disregarding its human rights implications.

Targets of Predator Spyware

The targets of the Predator spyware attacks included high-profile figures such as United Nations officials, Senators and Congressmen in the USA, Presidents of the European Parliament and Taiwan, and various academics and institutions. The investigation identified an attacker-controlled account on social media, ‘Joseph_Gordon16,’ which shared malicious links aiming to infect targets with Predator spyware. The account targeted individuals like Berlin-based journalist Khoa Lê Trung, editor-in-chief of thoibao.de, a news website blocked in Vietnam. Khoa had faced death threats over his reporting since 2018. The investigation suggests that the ‘Joseph_Gordon16’ account had links to Vietnam and may have been acting on behalf of Vietnamese authorities or interest groups.

Sales of Predator Spyware and Accountability

The investigation revealed evidence of a company within the Intellexa alliance signing a multi-million euro deal with Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security for “infection solutions.” Google’s security researchers also confirmed the association of the Predator attack infrastructure with a government actor in Vietnam. Amnesty International calls on all EU member states and other countries where Intellexa alliance entities exist to revoke marketing and export licenses issued to the alliance. The states should also conduct independent investigations to determine the extent of unlawful targeting.

The Global Reach of Spyware and its Implications

The investigation found Intellexa alliance products in at least 25 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and highlighted how they have been used to undermine human rights, press freedom, and social movements worldwide. The alliance, claiming to be an EU-based and regulated company, exposes the failure of EU member states and institutions to prevent the spread of surveillance products and protect individuals from their harmful effects. The Intellexa alliance must halt the production and sale of invasive spyware like Predator and provide compensation or other forms of redress to victims of unlawful surveillance.

Need for Tighter Regulation and Immediate Action

The Amnesty International report calls for a worldwide ban on highly invasive spyware and emphasizes the urgent need for stronger regulation and oversight of surveillance technologies. As the investigation reveals yet another scandal involving powerful surveillance tools, it is clear that current measures are insufficient to protect individuals and safeguard human rights. Governments must take immediate action to prevent the abuse of spyware and ensure that the technology is used only within a human rights-respecting regulatory framework.

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