NSW Police named as FinFisher spyware user - Security - News - iTnews.com.au
Wikileaks values license at $2.6 million.
The NSW Police force has been named as a user of the
FinFisher malware and spyware toolkit used by governments worldwide to
capture user data, as part of a Wikileaks data release of the product today.
Wikileaks first published documents relating to the German spyware in
late 2011. FinFisher is sold to law enforcement agencies across the
world.
Until further leaks last year,
little was known about the law enforcement malware. It is now publicly
acknowledged that FinFisher is able to capture a wide range of user data
by recording Skype chats, screen shots, and controlling computer
microphones and web cameras.
The FinFisher collection of tools is made by British-German
conglomerate Gamma Group International, and its use is considered
controversial as oppressive regimes have deployed it against political dissidents and non-criminal targets.
FinFisher control nodes were last year revealed to be located in eleven countries including Australia, but no local law enforcement agencies have admitted to using the spyware.
The Australia Federal Police has previously knocked back a Freedom of Information request about its use of FinFisher.
