US government bans four tech companies for spying, here are the names – Times of India

The US Commerce Department added four spyware companies to its technology export blacklist for developing surveillance tools deemed to have threatened US national security as well as the privacy and integrity of individuals and organizations worldwide. Such tools are regularly used for political repression and other human rights abuses, including for spying on journalists and intimidating political dissidents.
Names of the ‘banned’ companies
These four companies are:
* Intellexa SA in Greec
* Cytrox Holdings Crt in Hungary
* Intellexa Limited in Ireland
* Cytrox AD in North Macedonia
What the ban means for these companies
Commercial spyware firms already on the Commerce Department’s so-called Entity List – essentially making it illegal for US companies to do business with them – include Israel’s NSO Group, maker of the much better known Pegasus spyware. It was added in November 2021.
What US Commerce Department’s blacklisting statement said
In a statement the department said that these companies engaged in cyber exploits to gain access to information systems, threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide.
“This rule reaffirms the protection of human rights worldwide as a fundamental US foreign policy interest,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “The Entity List remains a powerful tool in our arsenal to prevent bad actors around the world from using American technology to reach their nefarious goals.”
“We remain laser focused on stemming the proliferation of digital tools for repression,” said Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Alan Estevez. “Considering the impact of surveillance tools and other technologies on international human rights, I am pleased to announce these additions to our Entity List.”
Today’s action reflects the values highlighted in the President’s Executive Order on Prohibition on Use by the United States Government of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security, as well as the Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware, joined by 10 countries and the United States, which demonstrate the U.S. Government’s commitment to the development of an international technology ecosystem that, among other things, protects security, privacy, and human rights.