US Plans to Restrict Visas for Individuals Misusing Commercial Spyware, According to Reuters

By Christopher Bing and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has introduced a new visa restriction policy aimed at individuals who are suspected of misusing commercial spyware.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the State Department now has the authority to impose visa restrictions on those believed to have engaged in the abuse of commercial spyware, as well as on individuals who facilitate or benefit from these actions.

U.S. officials assert that this policy is part of a broader initiative to influence the conduct of foreign governments and private companies that participate in harmful digital espionage. Such companies have been accused of creating platforms that enable cyberattacks against human rights activists, journalists, and opposition politicians, particularly in developing nations.

The new measures extend to investors and operators of the commercial spyware that is thought to be exploited, according to a senior Biden administration official. In recent years, at least 50 U.S. officials have reportedly been targeted by private hacking tools.

Last year, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at mitigating the harmful use of digital surveillance tools that specifically target U.S. personnel and civil society. This order prohibited U.S. agencies from interacting with such companies, effectively limiting their opportunities.

Additionally, the Commerce Department has placed several surveillance firms on its economic trade blacklist in 2021 and 2023, including companies based in Hungary, Greece, and Israel.

The new policy, which falls under the existing Immigration and Nationality Act, covers a wide range of individuals involved in hacking operations that "surveil, harass, suppress, or intimidate" various groups, including journalists, activists, perceived dissidents, members of marginalized communities, and their family members.

In March of the previous year, the U.S. and several allied nations called for stringent domestic and international regulations to combat the spread and misuse of commercial spyware.