Darknet Diaries

137: Predator

143 snips
Sep 5, 2023
Crofton Black, an investigative journalist at Lighthouse Reports, discusses the extensive spyware investigation focusing on the new mercenary tool, Predator. Joined by Bill Marczak and John Scott-Railton from Citizen Lab, they delve into how Predator infects mobile phones to collect sensitive data and its alarming sale to global intelligence agencies. The conversation highlights ethical implications, the urgent need for regulatory oversight, and the chilling reality of technology being weaponized against civil liberties.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

The Arms Dealer

  • Sam Cummings became the world's biggest private arms dealer.
  • He sold weapons to anyone who could pay, even during the Cold War.
ANECDOTE

WeSpeer Demo

  • Tal Dillian, an Israeli entrepreneur, developed WeSpeer, a mobile surveillance tech.
  • He demonstrated its ability to spy on phones in a Forbes video, leading to his arrest in Cyprus.
INSIGHT

Why Greece?

  • Tal Dillian moved his spyware operation to Greece after facing legal issues in Cyprus.
  • This move might be due to Greece's potentially more permissive regulatory environment and opportunities to work with forbidden customers.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app