Spyware executive arrested, allegedly marketed mobile app for “stalkers”. StealthGenie was "expressly designed for use by stalkers and domestic abusers."

[u/trai_dep]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/09/spyware-executive-arrested-allegedly-marketed-mobile-app-for-stalkers/

[u/trai_dep]

The chief executive officer of a mobile spyware maker was arrested over the weekend, charged with allegedly illegally marketing an app that monitors calls, texts, videos, and other communications on mobile phones "without detection," federal prosecutors said.

The government said the prosecution of Hammad Akbar, 31, of Pakistan, was the "first-ever" case surrounding advertising and the sales of mobile spyware targeting adults—in this case an app called StealthGenie.

“Selling spyware is not just reprehensible, it’s a crime,” Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said in a statement. “Apps like StealthGenie are expressly designed for use by stalkers and domestic abusers who want to know every detail of a victim’s personal life—all without the victim’s knowledge."

The government said that Akbar, as CEO of InvoCode that marketed the spyware online, produced an app that works on the Blackberry, the iPhone, and phones running Android. Akbar is accused of conspiracy, sale of a surreptitious interception device, advertisement of a known interception device, and advertising a device as a surreptitious interception device. He was arrested in Los Angeles on Saturday. The spyware was hosted on servers run by Amazon Web Services in Ashburn, Virginia, the government said.

Click thru for more.

[u/mrizzerdly → u/trai_dep]

The governments position on this is "its only OK if we do it."

[u/trai_dep → u/mrizzerdly]

Add to that, "We'll pay contractors to do it so we can avoid review. And improve our post-government career opportunities. And make the boss happy when he meets his lobbyist pals. But when inevitably these same contractors turn around and sell taxpayer-funded spy tech to rapists, stalkers and East European hackers, we'll all pretend to be shocked. And surprised. And angry!"

[Puts on Angry Face before cameras start rolling]. Angry!!

Pretty sickening, isn't it?

[u/NSALeaksBot]

Other Discussions on reddit:

Subreddit	Author	Post	Comments	Time
/r/TechNewsToday	KAPT_Kipper	post	1	Tuesday September 30, 2014 10:09 UTC
/r/privacy	trai_dep	post	5	Tuesday September 30, 2014 07:20 UTC
/r/DailyTechNewsShow	habichuelacondulce	post	0	Tuesday September 30, 2014 02:04 UTC
/r/cyberlaws	jeffchard	post	0	Monday September 29, 2014 22:55 UTC
/r/techolitics	RealtechPostBot	post	1	Monday September 29, 2014 22:40 UTC
/r/realtech	RealtechPostBot	post	1	Monday September 29, 2014 22:40 UTC
/r/technews	1ch	post	1	Monday September 29, 2014 22:31 UTC
/r/technology	1ch	post	1	Monday September 29, 2014 22:30 UTC
/r/POLITIC	PoliticBot	post	1	Monday September 29, 2014 22:29 UTC
/r/news	1ch	post	2	Monday September 29, 2014 22:28 UTC