Hired Hackers and Private Spies: Legitimate Businesses, Digital Mercenaries or Cybercriminals?

Dr. David Murakami Wood’s project examined the global landscape of private surveillance companies: firms and individuals that sell surveillance products and services to states, corporations, and wealthy individuals. Rather than focusing only on well-known spyware companies, the project sought to map the broader sector, including organizations involved in digital forensics, telecommunications interception, and other surveillance-related services. 

The research found that the private surveillance industry is larger, more varied, and more complex than anticipated. Dr. Murakami Wood’s team built a substantial database by combining historical records, existing reports, background datasets, and information gathered through industry expos. The work also showed how difficult it is to obtain comprehensive information, as companies often change names, use front companies, register in multiple jurisdictions, or operate with little public profile.

A major outcome of the project was its contribution to advocacy, investigative research, and policy efforts already underway. The project shared findings with organizations including Surveillance Watch, Freedom House, Citizen Lab, Lighthouse Reports, and others working on surveillance accountability. Dr. Murakami Wood emphasizes that private surveillance companies are an underestimated and dangerous sector of the economy, and that coordinated international regulation is urgently needed.

Results are published on https://www.surveillancewatch.io