Germany Considers Allowing Intelligence Agencies to Spy on Users with Trojans
Next week, Germany will review a bill that would grant all 19 federal intelligence agencies the right to spy on users with the help of trojans when searching for criminals. Internet service providers would be required to install government equipment in their data centers to distribute malicious software. The likely choice for this software is FinFly ISP, developed by the company FinFisher.
The grand coalition in the German parliament established a legal framework for the legitimate use of malware to track criminals several years ago. According to the parliamentary majority, authorities should have the right to conduct online surveillance through software installed on smartphones or computers, using malware that can read all information before it is sent and encrypted to another user.
The first version of the “Bundestrojaner” (Federal Trojan) was developed back in 2008, and at that time, the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany allowed its use in cases related to terrorism. However, its use was criticized by human rights advocates and IT experts, as the program not only allowed authorities to view suspects’ correspondence but also enabled secret online searches of the entire computer.
Human rights organizations, including the Society for Freedom Rights, are already filing lawsuits against the government for using trojan programs. Internet service providers are also unhappy with this development, citing the potential loss of public trust.
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