UK intelligence warns of widespread commercial spyware access by governments

As reported by TechCrunch, UK intelligence has revealed that over half of the world's governments now possess commercial spyware capable of infiltrating computers and phones to extract sensitive data.

The UK National Cyber Security Centre's report highlights an increase to 100 nations having access to these hacking tools, up from 80 countries estimated last year. Commercial spyware, often developed by private firms, exploits software vulnerabilities to gain access. While governments claim its use is limited to combating serious crime and terrorism, concerns persist that it's misused against critics, journalists, and increasingly, bankers and businesspeople.

The UK faces threats not only from foreign governments but also from cybercriminals who obtain these tools, as evidenced by the leak of the DarkSword hacking toolkit.

Source: TechCrunch