Ex-Israeli intelligence officer sanctioned for use of Predator spyware on US government officials and journalists

The sanctions aim to disrupt the operations and distribution of Predator spyware, which can turn on microphones and cameras and covertly access data such as messages, photos, and videos.

In a decisive move to combat the misuse of surveillance technology, the United States has imposed sanctions on Tal Dilian, a former Israeli intelligence officer, and his partner Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou and their company, Intellexa.

The sanctions come in response to the sale and deployment of a sophisticated cyber program known as Predator, which has been used against senior officials in the U.S. government and to enable human rights abuses.

Predator spyware, a product of the Intellexa Consortium, has been implicated in a range of clandestine activities, including the theft of sensitive information and surveillance through zero-click attacks—techniques that do not require any interaction from the target.

The Intellexa Consortium, established by Dilian in 2019, has been marketing this invasive technology to clients worldwide, including authoritarian regimes, raising significant concerns over privacy and security.