[gambiting]

Usually

1) money

2) the belief that if you don't build it then someone else will, so might as well be paid for it first

At least I imagine that's the only way people who build spyware and blockchain technologies can sleep at night.

[amelius]

Other options may include the intellectual challenge, using the spyware for personal gains, and holding a grudge against Google/Apple.

[dannyw]

LOVEINT (spooks spying on their romantic interests, present or past) isn't unheard of.

[blip54321]

I don't think so...

I think the major driving force is machismo and competition. People I've met have into this sort of thing have an image of themselves as Matrix-style hackers. It's easy for business types to exploit that.

Be the best hacker working with the best hackers in the world.

[sandis]

so

1) money

[gambiting]

I mean, there are people who work for ideological reasons instead(hackers working for FBI/MI5 despite low pay for instance), and in sure there are people in Israel who take this job to do the service to their country and such, and not just the salary.

[thehappypm]

National security, which in Israel’s case means ethnic security.