US sanctions Pegasus maker NSO Group and 3 other spyware companies

The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday added four companies, including Israeli spyware companies NSO Group and Candiru, to a list of entities engaged in "malicious cyber activity."

The agency said the two companies were placed on the list on the basis that “these entities develop and provide spyware to foreign governments and use these tools to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics and embassy staff. "

Two other companies on the list include Singapore-based Computer Security Initiative Consulting PTE. Ltd. and Russia's Positive Technologies, which has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for allegedly providing support to Russian intelligence services to launch cyberattacks on U.S. companies.

Both companies were added because they trafficked in weaponized software and exploits that were then used by state-sponsoredhackerUsed by organizations to gain unauthorized access to corporate networks around the world.

The Entity List, as the name implies, is a list of entities found to be engaged in activities contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests, requiring the imposition of additional trade restrictions on other U.S. organizations. Received special licenses from the government to do business with four companies.