Under the secret contract finalized on Nov. 8, 2021, the Israeli firm, NSO Group, gave the U.S. government access to one of its most powerful weapons -- a geolocation tool that can covertly track mobile phones around the world without the phone user's knowledge or consent, reported The New York Times (NYT) on Sunday.
"Only five days earlier, the Biden administration had announced it was taking action against NSO, whose hacking tools for years had been abused by governments around the world to spy on political dissidents, human rights activists and journalists," said the report.
The White House placed NSO on a Commerce Department blacklist, declaring the company a national security threat and sending the message that American companies should stop doing business with it, according to the report.
The secret contract "violates the Biden administration's public policy, and still appears to be active," said the report, noting the contract stated that the "United States government" would be the ultimate user of the tool, although it is unclear which government agency authorized the deal and might be using the spyware.
"Asked about the contract, White House officials said it was news to them. Spokesmen for the White House and Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to make any further comment, leaving unresolved questions: What intelligence or law enforcement officials knew about the contract when it was signed?" asked the report.
"The secret contract further illuminates the ongoing battle for control of powerful cyberweapons, both among and within governments, including the United States," it added.
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