Convicted spyware chief hints that Greece’s government was behind dozens of phone hacks

Greek Spyware Scandal Deepens as Convicted Founder Points to Government Involvement

A high-profile spyware scandal in Greece has taken a new turn, with the convicted founder of Intellexa, the company behind the Predator spyware, hinting that the country's government was behind the hacking of dozens of phones belonging to senior officials and journalists. The hacking campaign, which has come to be known as the "Greek Watergate," involved the use of Intellexa's Predator spyware to steal sensitive information from iPhones and Android devices.

The Predator spyware is capable of breaking into mobile devices to steal call logs, text messages, emails, and location data, typically by tricking a target into clicking a malicious link. Several senior officials in the Greek government, including the head of the national intelligence agency and a senior aide to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, resigned in the wake of the scandal. Despite the resignations, no government officials have been convicted in connection with the surveillance.

Intellexa's founder, Tal Dilian, was convicted in February and sentenced to eight years in prison. In a recent statement, Dilian claimed that he will not be a "scapegoat" and suggested that the government may have authorized the hacks. Dilian also stated that surveillance technologies like Predator are typically sold only to governments, which are responsible for using them lawfully.

The U.S. government has already imposed sanctions against Dilian and his company, effectively making it illegal for anyone to enter into business transactions with them. The Greek government has yet to comment on Dilian's allegations, but the scandal continues to raise questions about the use of spyware and the accountability of governments in their surveillance activities.

The implications of this scandal are far-reaching and raise serious concerns about the misuse of spyware by governments. As the tech industry continues to evolve, it is essential that governments and companies prioritize transparency and accountability in their surveillance activities. In Africa, where the use of spyware is becoming increasingly prevalent, this scandal serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust regulations and oversight mechanisms to prevent the misuse of such technologies.