INTERMEDIARIES are expanding the global spyware market by enabling governments and other buyers to circumvent transparency laws and export controls, a trend highlighted in a March 18 Atlantic Council report cited by Dark Reading. The report notes examples such as a South African intermediary acting as a representative for Memento Labs to sell its Dante spyware to the local market, and a third‑party firm reportedly helping Israeli firm Passitora sell its products to Bangladesh despite limited diplomatic relations.
Atlantic Council researchers also point to the way resellers and brokers lower barriers to entry by bundling tools with training and support, while increasing opacity in supply chains. The piece also cites a shift in 2025, when more zero‑day exploits were attributed to commercial surveillance vendors than to traditional state‑sponsored groups, according to a March analysis by Google’s Threat Intelligence Group.
Critics and researchers emphasise the need for greater transparency and Know Your Vendor practices to illuminate the role intermediaries play in this shadowy ecosystem.