Hi, spy…

FinFisher is a line of remote intrusion and surveillance software developed by Munich-based Gamma International GmbH. FinFisher products are marketed and sold exclusively to law enforcement and intelligence agencies by the UK-based Gamma Group. Although touted as a “lawful interception” suite for monitoring criminals, FinFisher has gained notoriety because it has been used in targeted attacks against human rights campaigners and opposition activists in countries with questionable human rights records.

(You Only Click Twice,  Citizen Lab Org, 13 March 2013)

Among those countries where FinFisher has been found is… you guessed it… Mexico.  Specifically on TelMex’s UniNET servers.

Via #Y0 Soy Red (my translation):

FinFisher  has been used in Bahrain, Ethiopia and Egypt reportedly to reported track activists and designated as targets by the authorities.  While a Citizen Labs report of the program on servers in any country does not mean they are being operated by the government, the mere presence of FinFisher in Mexico, and the history of attacks on freedom of expression raise some reasonable questions.

What FinFisher network (there are several versions) has been installed in Mexico, and under what governmental or other authority is it operated?

Has TelMex detected such a sophisticated system in its own network, or is housed in UniNet with the company’s consent?

Considering that this software is only available to governments and intelligence agencies under what justification is it being used by the Mexico Government.  If it is in use, and if you have no knowledge of it, or if it is not a the government agency operating the system, is there it a violation of national sovereignty or a violation of the privacy rights of citizens?

Or both?

By the way, FinFisher is also used (presumably by “responsible” government agencies) in twenty five countries:  Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

It’s pretty scary stuff.  Here’s part of their promo package:

Even scarier… I’m not wearing anything but my skivvies right now, and some DEA agent is probably watching me.  Hey, dude!