The FBI Paid a Government Contractor That Used NSO Spying Tool On The Agency's Behalf

In an intense whirl of irony, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found itself caught in its own web of inquiries only to discover that it was behind the financing of a controversial spying tool. The tool, known as “Landmark,” was purchased by a contractor from NSO, an Israeli hacking firm, for use by the US government despite national blacklisting days prior.

Made infamous by recent reports, NSO was restricted by the Biden administration after egregious misuse of its spyware by governments worldwide. While Riva Networks, the infamous contractor was pointed out in the unfolding fiasco, it’s evident that the American establishment finds itself at sword’s points for turning a blind eye to the implications of using such tools.

Constructed by NSO, Landmark allowed officials to cloak and dagger individuals using surveillance in Mexico, a fact that now has the white hats at the FBI claiming ignorance to its usage. The Bureau asserts that Riva Networks misled them, leading to an inevitable termination of contracts once the reveal.

The issue at hand raises many questions – a prime one being the FBI’s choice to employ a contractor that had made headlines for purchasing similar NSO tools using coded names. Lack of oversight is glaringly apparent in this situation and yet unaddressed. Furthermore, it is not clear if any other government agencies were conspirators in deploying the spy tool in Mexico, The New York Times reported.