WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday added two European-based surveillance firms to its economic trade blacklist as part of the Biden administration's efforts to counter the misuse of commercial spyware.
The department added Cytrox, a Hungary-based surveillance company and Greek firm Intellexa, another cyber-surveillance firm and two related entities in Ireland and Macedonia.
Attempts to reach representatives from Cytrox and Intellexa were not immediately successful.
The journalist's allegation came as the European Union (EU) was beginning to follow the United States in taking a harder look at spyware merchants and the use of powerful surveillance software.
Reuters reported in 2020 that Intellexa was working with intelligence agencies in Southeast Asia and Europe.
Persons:
Biden, Intellexa, Tal Dilian, Cytrox, Jarrett Renshaw, David Shepardson, Karen Freifeld, Raphael Satter, Christopher Bing, Doina Chiacu, Alexandra Hudson
Organizations:
U.S . Commerce Department, Reuters, Intellexa, The Commerce Department, European Union, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson
Locations:
Hungary, Ireland, Macedonia, Cytrox, Greece, United States, Southeast Asia, Europe