by Grendel

Hacking Team, also known as HT S.r.l., is a Milan-based company that describes itself as the “first to propose an offensive solution for cyber investigations.” Their flagship Remote Control System (RCS) product, billed “the hacking suite for governmental interception,” is a suite of remote monitoring implants (i.e., spyware) sold exclusively to government agencies worldwide.

Hacking Team distinguishes RCS from traditional surveillance solutions (e.g., wiretapping) by emphasizing that RCS can capture data that is stored on a target’s computer, even if the target never sends the information over the Internet. RCS also enables government surveillance of a target’s encrypted internet communications, even when the target is connected to a network that the government cannot wiretap. RCS’s capabilities include the ability to copy files from a computer’s hard disk, record skype calls, e-mails, instant messages, and passwords typed into a web browser. Furthermore, RCS can turn on a device’s webcam and microphone to spy on the target.