US sanctions founder of spyware maker Intellexa for targeting Americans

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Intellexa founder Tal Dilian, associate Sara Hamou, and entities within the Intellexa/Cytrox consortium tied to the Predator spyware, alleging their tools were used to target Americans, including officials and journalists; the action bars U.S. persons from financial or technological dealings and escalates the administration’s crackdown on commercial spyware, following prior export controls on NSO Group, Candiru, Intellexa, and Cytrox, signaling heightened pressure on the surveillance-ware industry.