State Department debars ex-NSA cyber mercenaries who aided vast UAE surveillance operation

The former intelligence operatives worked in a hacking unit of the cybersecurity firm DarkMatter, which is known for developing spyware.

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Former U.S. intelligence operatives charged with helping UAE hack rivals, U.S. citizens

The Justice Department charged three former U.S. intelligence operatives on Tuesday with hacking and conspiracy charges in connection with their work helping United Arab Emirates spy on activists and political rivals. The charges allege that defendants Marc Baier, Ryan Adams and Daniel Gericke “knowingly and willfully” provided the UAE with spy technology without approval from the U.S. government. The charges back up a 2019 Reuters investigation that found a secret hacking unit of UAE-based cybersecurity firm DarkMatter was hiring former U.S. intelligence officers to help the UAE to spy on the phones of activists, diplomats and other nation’s leaders. Former employees told Reuters that their work with the hacking unit, “Project Raven,” also involved spying on U.S. citizens and companies. The Intercept first reported the existence of DarkMatter in 2016. According to court documents, after leaving government employment, Baier, Adams and Gericker joined a firm prosecutors referred to as “Company […]

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Stealth Falcon Targets Middle East with Windows BITS Feature

Cyberespionage attackers have ditched their PowerShell backdoor in favor of the Windows BITS ‘notification’ feature. Continue reading Stealth Falcon Targets Middle East with Windows BITS Feature