Governments in Latin America would use software to spy on citizens – Computerworld

A new report by the NGO “Derechos Digitales”, Santiago, Chile, indicates that almost every country in Latin America, has used software to spy on their citizens, which also include Brazil. The information was first reported by the American site BuzzFeed News.

Authorities in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Panama would have bought the software of the Italian firm Hacking Team to espionage purposes.

According to BuzzFeed, Argentina, Guatemala, Uruguay and Venezuela have also negotiated with the company to acquire such a program, but do not seem to have bought any tool Hacking Team. However, it is noteworthy that many of the company’s software purchases is through intermediaries, with a view to their export restrictions. This means that many other countries may have escaped from the Derechos Digitales report.

The report is based primarily on information leaked in 2015 that contained more than a million internal emails of Hacking Team, detailing the use of malware and system vulnerabilities to create a spyware capable of intercepting data on any phone or computer.

the BuzzFeed reported that the Colombian journalist Vick Davila had his private communications with his intercepted family, possibly because of their investigative work to a prostitution ring in the local police.

Members of Derechos Digitales said journalists and NGOs are among the most frequent targets of espionage by their governments. In the case, and phishing emails, where a person is tricked into clicking and downloading malware that appears in a document or attachment, are the most common.

It is noteworthy that in the case of Brazil, which has lived a time of political polarization and the imminence of CPI voting cybercrime (proposing bills that cerceariam freedom of expression on the network if approved), the use of this software could facilitate new forms of political persecution of activists, journalists and dissidents.

“In Latin America, government surveillance and spying activities are suspected worthy, especially if we take into account the history of authoritarianism and repression in the region. spy programs that are invasive as the Hacking Team lend themselves to human rights abuses, “the report warns.