U.S. sanctions spyware consortium

The State Department announced Monday a round of sanctions against alleged associates of the Intellexa Consortium for supposed spyware activity. The sanctions, implemented by the Treasury Department, aim to protect U.S. national security, prevent human rights abuses and uphold freedom of expression.

The five sanctioned individuals and one sanctioned entity are guilty of "developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology misused to target Americans, including U.S. Government officials, journalists, and policy experts," according to a State Department press release.

"The United States remains steadfast in its commitment to use all available tools to counter the misuse of sophisticated surveillance technologies," the release also states.

The sanctions complement sanctions announced March 5 and "other accountability measures including export controls and visa restrictions."