According to a new report from the New York Times, the FBI was very close to using the tool. It's a tool that can be used to steal a person's phone.
The FBI looked into using the NSO tool to counteract bad actors. The bureau had other ideas. The FBI had a detailed plan for how it would be used.
The Times cited FBI documents and court records.
F.B.I. officials made a push in late 2020 and the first half of 2021 to deploy the hacking tools — made by the Israeli spyware firm NSO — in its own criminal investigations. The officials developed advanced plans to brief the bureau’s leadership, and drew up guidelines for federal prosecutors about how the F.B.I.’s use of hacking tools would need to be disclosed during criminal proceedings.
It's not clear who the FBI intended to use the tool on, but the Times reported it only shut down the idea of using it once stories of other governments abusing the tool went public.
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It's concerning that the FBI considered using the tool. Imagine what would happen if law enforcement had unrestricted access to people's phones.
It is possible to install the tool remotely without the target having to do anything. Everything in your phone can be accessed by the hacker. It can turn on the microphone or camera without the target's knowledge.
It's hard to imagine a world where the government could use that tool.
Tim is a culture reporter at Mashable, where he writes about everything from food to fitness to weird stuff on the internet. He's posting a lot about Buffalo wings on the social networking site.
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