Hong Kong's anti-graft body confirms possible purchase of snooping system
Commissioner Simon Peh confirms the anti-graft body is considering the purchase of a controversial snooping system from an Italian firm
PUBLISHED : Monday, 20 July, 2015, 4:15am
UPDATED : Monday, 20 July, 2015, 4:15am
Samuel Chan and Danny Lee
ICAC commissioner, Simon Peh, confirmed the anti-graft body's interest in technology that could intercept computers and cell phone data. Photo: Sam Tsang
The ICAC commissioner has for the first time confirmed that the agency was considering the possibility of acquiring a technology that could intercept residents' computer and mobile phone data from a controversial cybersecurity company.
"We are now in the process of inquiring into a product by this company," Simon Peh Yun-lu said yesterday.
"We need to keep abreast of the latest technology [in this regard] internationally, and to find out if, firstly, we could use this technology legally, and secondly, if it would suit our needs," he said.
"Now we are only at the initial stage [of trying to] understand [the product]."
He added that he knew the company concerned, Hacking Team, had in the past participated in international exhibitions.
The ICAC previously stressed it would continue to enhance its surveillance capability, without confirming or denying whether the agency had tried to buy or had bought the software, which is marketed as "the hacking suite for governmental interception" as it allows investigators to bypass encryption and collect data from all devices.
A three-month trial can cost about HK$3 million.
The incident came to light after the Milan-based cybersecurity firm earlier this month became the victim of a cyberattack in which hackers breached the company's servers and downloaded more than 400 gigabytes of documents.
The hackers then hijacked the company's official Twitter account and published the information. Wikileaks released more than a million company emails.
Among the downloaded documents was an email conversation between ICAC principal investigator Simon Tse Yiu-keung and Daniel Maglietta, the head of Hacking Team's Singapore branch.
Lawmaker James To Kun-sun, a long-time member of the Legislative Council's security panel, said the technology was in no way acceptable under Hong Kong law.
To said he planned to invite ICAC representatives to the security panel after Legco returns from the summer recess to let the public know how the ICAC would justify the move, although he did not expect frank answers.
The Democratic Party legislator urged the commissioner on interception of communications and surveillance to scrutinise whether the ICAC had the power under the interception of communications law to use such hacking methods.
But Professor Simon Young of the University of Hong Kong's law faculty said earlier that he saw no cause for concern and that "it is good to see the ICAC being proactive in this area of rapid development".
By law, investigators can intercept communications only after a High Court judge approves the request.
Hacking Team was founded in 2003 and has worked with Russia, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, as well as US and Australian agencies.
