A U.S. defense contractor in talks to acquire blacklisted Israeli spyware firm NSO Group cited support in negotiations from U.S. intelligence officials despite the company's blacklisting in the U.S., The New York Times reported Monday.
NSO Group, maker of the scandal-ridden Pegasus spyware, was blacklisted by the Biden administration last November after it was revealed that the powerful hacking tool was used to break into the phones of politicians, political dissidents, journalists and human rights activists.
According to the report, L3Harris suspended the clandestine talks last month after news about them leaked.
White House officials said at the time that they were outraged by the talks and that they were opposed to any acquisition of a company under sanctions.