Despite strained relations with Pakistan’s security apparatus, Italian lawful interception specialist RCS Lab is confident it can make new inroads in the country, while spending in this field is set to decline at home.
According to information gathered by Intelligence Online, the Italian lawful interception company RCS Lab is reviving its business networks in Pakistan in view of selling its interception technology there. The Italian firm has a long-standing presence in the country, as email exchanges with another Italian lawful interception firm Hacking Team – now Memento Labs – leaked by Wikileaks, attested. However, RCS Lab’s relations with Islamabad deteriorated considerably after the operations of its subsidiary Tykelab were exposed. Tykelab’s Hermit spyware was detected by US threat intelligence firm Lookout and by Google, forcing RCS Lab’s parent company Cy4gate, headed by former Carabinieri captain Emanuele Galtieri, to establish a crisis unit (IO, 15/09/22).
Cy4gate for its part still operates in Pakistan in the field of cybersecurity.
Italy’s interceptions reform
Renewed interest from those Italian firms in Pakistan comes as Italy’s justice minister Carlo Nordio is pushing for a reform of interceptions in the Italian Parliament in order to reduce the cost of justice, which would limit the instances in which the authorities are allowed to carry out legal interceptions. The bill does not touch the main drivers of interceptions in Italy which are the fight against the mafia and counter-terrorism.
Italy’s spending cuts should spur specialised companies to look for new outlets abroad, as Cy4gate has already done. Other companies in the country, such as Negg, are also looking for new markets outside its borders (IO, 01/09/22).
Source: Intelligence Online