Quote:The latest report from Threat Analysis Group documents the rise of commercial surveillance vendors and the industry that threatens free speech, the free press and the open internet.

Quote:Key findings

• While prominent CSVs garner public attention and headlines, there are dozens of others that are less noticed, but play an important role in developing spyware.
  
  
• The proliferation of spyware by CSVs causes real world harm. We partnered with Google's Jigsaw unit to highlight the stories of three high-risk users who attested to the fear felt when these tools were used against them, the chilling effect on their professional relationships, and their determination to continue their important work.
  
  
• If governments ever claimed to have a monopoly on the most advanced cyber capabilities, that era is over. The private sector is now responsible for a significant portion of the most sophisticated tools we detect.
  
  
• CSVs pose a threat to Google users, and Google is committed to disrupting that threat and keeping our users safe. CSVs are behind half of known 0-day exploits targeting Google products as well as Android ecosystem devices.