NSO Group accused of whitewashing via diplomacy

Civil society groups are accusing spyware maker NSO Group of attempting to whitewash its reputation by participating in a key diplomatic initiative aimed at regulating commercial hacking tools, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

The company recently issued a transparency report highlighting its engagement with the Pall Mall Process, a UK- and French-led effort to govern Commercial Cyber Intrusion Capabilities. However, officials from both countries clarified that NSO was not invited and that submissions do not imply compliance or responsible conduct. Critics pointed to NSO's long record of human rights abuses, including the targeting of journalists in Serbia and involvement in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Researchers like John Scott-Railton of The Citizen Lab dismissed NSOs claims of a human rights compliance program, stating evidence shows they "still have no problem selling to autocrats."

A French official involved in the process called the facts "extremely serious," noting an ongoing judicial investigation. Advocates are urging Pall Mall leaders to disqualify NSO and establish clear criteria for industry engagement to prevent "process abuse" and protect the initiative's credibility, arguing that companies with such records should only be included after committing to major reforms.