[dessant]

Why are companies that stockpile zero-days for resale legal? Aren't they also a threat to the countries that host them, even if some or all of the intelligence is shared?

And why aren't countries that host these companies sanctioned?

[stevenjohns]

I'm willing to go one step further and say that NSO Group is operated by and is a core part of Israeli intelligence. It just has layers of deniability baked into the business structure like any good limited liability entity.

What it comes down to is that with NSO group:

1. Israel has access to the best 0-days it needs

2. The knowledge to develop further exploits is maintained within the Israeli intelligence apparatus

3. Israel is able to dominate the digital intelligence apparatus of autocratic regimes and, as a consequence, be able to defend itself against those tools

4. Israel is able to use it as a back channel for establishing and maintaining relationships, as well as exerting power and leverage on those nations

Given that it is an Israeli-government entity, much like the rest of the Israeli government, it is politically untouchable and buried under layers of denial. It's a direct, toxic exploitation of the relationship that Western countries maintain with Israel.

[michael1999]

The same reasons that the companies that make guns, bombs, and tanks are legal.

[fortran77]

NSO is owned by a European company Novalpina Capital with headquarters in London.

[dessant]

My original comment asked if we should assume that the NSO Group arsenal is shared with the Israeli Intelligence Community, given that we've talking about an Israeli company.

That's a valid question, because hosting such a company is a major diplomatic liability. Why would you consider this question, as you said, a slander?

[90red]

Israel sure does siphon off intel with all their companies, but it's not strictly limited to just them though.

Also it's definitely not slander, they always just seem to get pissy anytime one calls them out.

[fortran77]

But they are not an "Israeli Company". They are owned by a European Private Equity group, with HQ in London, despite what the Guardian's "reporter" "Jassar Al-Tahat" says.

Should we assume that comments and logs for Hacker News are all shared with the UK Intelligence Community because Paul Graham was born in Weymouth, UK?

[dessant]

> But they are not an "Israeli Company". They are owned by a European Private Equity group, with HQ in London, despite what the Guardian's "reporter" "Jassar Al-Tahat" says.

Yes, Novalpina Capital purchased a majority stake in NSO Group in February 2019. NSO Group was and still is an Israeli company, with headquesters in Herzliya, Israel. The company will cease to be an Israeli company, when it stops being under the jurisdiction of Israel.

Again, I don't understand how any of this made my question a slander. And why are you mocking the author of the article?

> Should we assume that comments and logs for Hacker News are all shared with the UK Intelligence Community because Paul Graham was born in Weymouth, UK?

HN and Paul Graham are not in the weapons trade business, but yes, you should assume that all of this is monitored, though not because of Paul Graham's place of birth.

[av3csr]

Technically the joint venture between Novalpina Capital and two of the original founders have a majority stake on the company.

Is ARM a Japanese company because it's (currently) owned by SoftBank? Will it be American when Nvidia takes over? Or are they a British company because they are based in the UK?

[dessant]

To add a personal note, I came here to ask questions, to learn something new, and to try understanding how any of this is allowed to happen. You've ruined my experience and this thread for no reason. Please don't ever do that again.

[saagarjha]

Especially because this hasn’t been the first time the commenter has done this. ‘fortran77, you’ve been around here a while. You should know better than to engage in pedantic nationalistic battles.