TechCrunch reports that Israeli spyware firm NSO Group has been purchased by a U.S. investment group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds in a deal reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars.
As part of the deal, NSO Group co-founder and executive chairman Omri Lavie will step down from his role at the company. However, NSO spokesperson Oded Hershowitz emphasized that the company will remain under Israeli regulation.
"The company's headquarters and core operations remain in Israel. It continues to be fully supervised and regulated by the relevant Israeli authorities, including the Ministry of Defense and the Israeli regulatory framework," said Hershowitz.
Such a development comes amid continued scrutiny of NSO Group, with researchers at Citizen Lab, Amnesty International, and others documenting the firm's government clients to have been targeting individuals in the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Mexico, and India. In 2021, the company targeted U.S. officials abroad, leading the Commerce Department to place it on the Entities List, restricting American trade.
"NSO is a company with a long history of going against American interests and supporting the hacking of American officials. In what world can such a person be trusted to properly oversee a company like NSO Group?" said Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton.
As part of the deal, NSO Group co-founder and executive chairman Omri Lavie will step down from his role at the company. However, NSO spokesperson Oded Hershowitz emphasized that the company will remain under Israeli regulation.
"The company's headquarters and core operations remain in Israel. It continues to be fully supervised and regulated by the relevant Israeli authorities, including the Ministry of Defense and the Israeli regulatory framework," said Hershowitz.
Such a development comes amid continued scrutiny of NSO Group, with researchers at Citizen Lab, Amnesty International, and others documenting the firm's government clients to have been targeting individuals in the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Mexico, and India. In 2021, the company targeted U.S. officials abroad, leading the Commerce Department to place it on the Entities List, restricting American trade.
"NSO is a company with a long history of going against American interests and supporting the hacking of American officials. In what world can such a person be trusted to properly oversee a company like NSO Group?" said Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton.
