FinFisher is also known as FinSpy, is a trojan spyware software developed and marketed by the UK/German company Gamma Group. The FinFisher surveillance technology, in Pakistan has been challenged in the Lahore High court on Sunday.The petition was filed by Bytes for All chairman Shahzad Ahmad, Bytes for All chairman Shahzad Ahmad says the software is used to monitor citizens through their computers and this endangers their right to privacy.
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority had ownership of the server concerned. He said this meant that either someone in the government was operating the FinFisher software or that this was being done with the government’s knowledge.
It was also revealed that the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) had ownership of the server operating FinFisher in the country.
Hamdani said that FinFisher had been criticised for undermining citizens’ privacy. It has been used by repressive regimes to crack down on human rights defenders and activists. He said the most notable example was in Egypt where the government deployed it to curb political dissent in 2011.
He requested the court to ask the Ministry of Information why a FinFisher Command and Control server was operational in Pakistan and who had authorised its deployment.
Hamdani said operation of such software not only threatened citizens’ right to privacy but also the sovereignty of the country.
Hamdani also asked the court to issue directions to immediately stop FinFisher’s operations in Pakistan and to direct the appropriate law enforcement agencies to seize the equipment used for the purpose and data it had collected.
No comments:
Post a Comment