According to Google, an Italian company, RCS Lab uses hacking tools to spy on Apple and Android smartphones in Italy and Kazakhstan.
Google researchers also found that RCS Lab had previously worked with the controversial, now defunct Italian spy firm Hacking Team, which had previously developed surveillance software for foreign governments to connect to phones and computers.
“These providers allow the spread of dangerous hacking tools and arm governments that would not be able to develop these capabilities internally,” Google said.
RCS Lab is therefore joining the global spyware industry for governments by developing law enforcement interception tools. RCS Lab claims that its products and services comply with European rules and help law enforcement investigate crimes.
Google has warned Android users about spyware, and the company is also taking steps to protect users of its Android operating system. Apple cancels all known accounts and certificates associated with the hacking campaign.
Billy Leonard, a senior researcher at Google, believes that hackers using RCS spyware in some cases work with the target’s service provider, suggesting links to state-sponsored participants.
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