The United States Adds Foreign Companies to Entity List for Malicious Cyber Activities

Today, the U.S. government added four foreign commercial spyware entities to the Entity List for engaging in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.

Intellexa S.A. in Greece, Intellexa Limited in Ireland, Cytrox AD in North Macedonia, and Cytrox Holdings Crt in Hungary were added to the Entity List based on a determination that the companies engaged in trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems, threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide.

The proliferation of commercial spyware poses distinct and growing counterintelligence and security risks to the United States, including to the safety and security of U.S. government personnel and their families. The misuse of these tools globally has also facilitated repression and enabled human rights abuses, including to intimidate political opponents and curb dissent, limit freedom of expression, and monitor and target activists and journalists.

Today’s action is part of a government-wide effort to counter the risks posed by commercial spyware.  It is consistent with steps announced in March around the Summit for Democracy including the issuance of an Executive Order to Prohibit U.S. Government Use of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security; the Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware; and Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies.  The addition of these entities builds on past U.S. government listings of commercial spyware companies.

Together, these actions demonstrate the United States’ continued commitment to and leadership on countering the misuse of commercial spyware and other surveillance technology. They complement bipartisan legislation by the U.S. Congress aimed at stemming the proliferation and misuse of these tools. As part of its commitment to put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy, the United States is working to counter the proliferation and misuse of digital tools used for repression. This effort is aimed at improving citizens’ digital security, combating cyber threats, and mitigating unlawful surveillance.

For more information about these designations, please see the Department of Commerce’s press release.