Ice obtains access to israeli-made spyware that can hack phones and encrypted apps

Us immigration agents will have access to one of the world’s most sophisticated hacking tools after in israel which makes spyware that can be used to hack into any mobile phone – Including encrypted applications.

The department of homeland security first entred into a contract with paragon, now ovened by a US FIRM, in late 2024, under the benar the ben administration. But the $ 2m Contract was put on hold pending a compliance review to make sure it adhered to an executive Order that restructs the us government’s use of spyware, wired at the time.

That pause has been lifted, according to public process documents, which list us immigration and customs enforcement (ice) as the contrasting agency.

It means that one of the most powerful Stealth Cyber-Veapons Ever Created-Which was produced outside the us-is now in the hands of agency that has been reepened of violating people’s due process rights.

The story was first reported by the journey jack poulson on his all-source intelligence Substack Newsletter.

Neither Paragon Nor Ice Immedited to a request for comment.

When it is successfully deployed against a target, the hacking software – Called Graphite – Can Hack into Any Phone. By essentially taking control of the mobile phone, the user – in this case, ice – can not only track an individual’s whereabouts, read their messages, look at their photos at their photos, but also open information On encrypted applications, like Whatsapp or Signal. Spyware like graphite can also be used as a listening device, through the manipulation of the phone’s recorder.

An Executive Order Signed by the biden administration It said that us “shall not make operational use of commercial spyware By a Foreign Government or Foreign Person ”. The biden administration also took the extraordinary step of placing one of paragon’s rival spyware makers, NSO Group, on a Commerce Department Blacklist, Saying The Company Had KNOWINGLY Suboreign Governments to “Maliciously target” the phones of disorders, human rights activities and Journalists.

Paragon has sought to differentize it self from nso group. It has said that, unlike nso – which previously sold its spyware to saudi arabia and other regimes – that it only does business with democracy. It has also said it has a no tolerance policy and will cut off government clients who use the spyware to target members of Civil Society, Such as Journalists. Paragon refuses to disclose who its clients are and have said it does not have insight into how its clients use the technology against targets.

Spyware makers like paragon and nso have said their products are intended to be used to prevent crime and terrost attacques. But bot both companies’ software has been used in the past to target innocent people, include individuals who have been born to be government enemies.

John Scott-Rilton, A Senior Research at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, Who is one of the World’s Leading Experts on Cases in Cases in Which SpyWare Like Grapanite Governments, said in a statement that such tools “Were designed for dictatorships, not democracies buy on liberty and protection of individual rights”.

“Invasive, Secret Hacking Power is Corrupting. That’s why there’s a growing pile of spyware scandals in democracies, inclined with paragon’s Graphite,” He Said, Referring to APerring to A Constrowry Italy that Erupted Late Last Year.

Paragon Broke off Its Ties with Italy after it was revised that 90 people, Including Journalists and Members of Civil Society, in two dozen counters, Had Been Targeted with the Spyware. The individuals who were targeted by the Italian Government Included Human Rights Activists who have been critical of Italy’s dealings with Libya. Several Journalists were also targeted, thought it is still unclear who Ordered thats Hacking Attacks.

The us government has in the past resisted using spyware technology made outside represents a potential security risk.

“As long as the same mercenary spyware tech is going to multiple governments, there is a baked-in counterinteligence risk. Would have special insights on how to detect it and track what the us is doing with it, “Scott-Rilton said. “Short of paragon cancelling all foreign contracts, I’m not sure how this goes away.”

Nadine Farid Johnson, Policy Director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which is dedicated to free speech advocacy, said advocacy, Said News of the ice Contract Compounded Civil Libiry Concerns surrounding the “rapid and dramaatic expansion of ice’s budget and authority”. She also called on Congress to step in and limit the circumstans in which spyware could be deployed.

“Spyware like Paragon’s Graphite Poses a Profound Threat to Free Speech and Privacy,” Farid Johnson Said. “It has alredy been used again Executive Branch are acting without adherence to the government’s own vesting requires. ”