US defence contractor in talks to take over NSO Group’s hacking technology

The US defence contractor L3Harris is in talks to take over NSO Group's surveillance technology, in a possible deal that would give an American company control over one of the world's most sophisticated and controversial hacking tools.

Multiple sources confirmed that discussions were centred on a sale of the Israeli company's core technology - or code - as well as a possible transfer of NSO personnel to L3Harris. But any agreement still faces significant hurdles, including requiring the blessing of the US and Israeli governments, which have not yet given the green light to a deal.

This story was jointly reported by the Guardian, the Washington Post and Haaretz.

If agreed, the deal would mark an astounding turnaround for NSO, less than a year after the Biden administration placed the company on a US blacklist and accused it of acting "contrary to the foreign policy and national security interests of the US".

NSO's government clients are known to have used the surveillance technology to target journalists, human rights activists, senior government officials in US-allied countries, and lawyers around the world.

The Guardian and other media outlets have also detailed how NSO's surveillance technology, Pegasus, has been used by the company's government clients to target American citizens, including Carine Kanimba, daughter of the Rwandan dissident Paul Rusesabagina, as well as journalists, activists and US state department officials working abroad.

Asked to comment on the talks, an L3Harris spokesperson said: "We are aware of the capability and we are constantly evaluating our customers' national security needs. At this point, anything beyond that is speculation."