Why in news:

  • Between May and September, former Egyptian MP Ahmed Eltantawy was targeted with Cytrox’s Predator spyware sent via links on SMS and WhatsApp.

What is spyware?

  • Spyware is loosely defined as malicious software designed to enter a device, gather sensitive data, and forward it to a third party without the user’s consent.
  • While spyware may be used for commercial purposes like advertising, malicious spyware is used to profit from data stolen from a victim’s device.
  • Spyware is broadly categorised as trojan spyware, adware, tracking cookie, and system monitors.
  • While each type of spyware gathers data for the author, system monitors and adware are more harmful as they may make modifications to a device’s software and expose the device to further threats.

What is commercial spyware?

  • Malicious spyware has been around since the 1990s.
  • Earlier iterations of spyware were limited to being used by criminals to steal passwords or financial information.
  • However, opportunities for governments and law enforcement agencies to use spyware as part of legal investigations led to the development of commercial spyware.
  • Commercial spyware mainly targets mobile platforms and can legitimately be used against criminals and terrorists.
  • However, the lack of global regulations for companies developing spyware has led to their use by authoritarian governments to spy on political opponents.
  • Commercial spyware, such as the Pegasus spyware from the NSO group, can reportedly not only mop up information from mobile devices but also turn on the camera and microphone without the owner’s knowledge, effectively turning handsets into a spying device.
Syllabus: Prelims