DHS will use Malware to Hack Phones of Dissidents
America's Secret Police (Part 23)
The cyber division of HSI recently signed a $2 million contract with Israeli spyware vendor Paragon Solutions, which was recently acquired by a U.S. private equity firm late last year and merged with another U.S. based firm, REDLattice, which is run by former CIA personnel. The same company helped the Italian security services hack and spy on 61 journalists and civil society members who use encrypted messaging app Whatsapp using the Graphite malware produced by Paragon. The use of Paragon’s malware to spy on Italian citizens was confirmed by a security committee of the Italian parliament and a forensic investigation by Citizenlab in Toronto. The prospect of DHS, specifically ICE and HSI, having ready made spyware not only offers them another end around the 4th amendment that does not require them to buy data from third party brokers (or have probable cause) but also another cudgel to use against dissidents. The current DHS secretary recently conflated filming federal LEOs with violence listing “videotaping them” alongside doxxing, inciting violence and physical assault. Filming LEOs is freedom of the press under 1A. Dishonestly framing “videotapping LEOs” as violence is a pretty good indicator that this admin will weaponize Graphite malware against political dissidents, particularly on the immigration issue.