Pemex, Mexican intelligence and governments, outed as clients of spy company

Hackers entered the systems of Italian spy company Hacking Team, from Milan, and published evidence presenting Mexico as one of its clients. Among the leaked information they presented a list of clients, receipts and e-mails.

There is a receipt from a transaction this year with the National Intelligence and Security Center (CISEN) of the Interior Ministry, for 200,000 euros (US$220,990). Other clients are the Navy Ministry, Pemex and the governments of Mexico City, Baja California and Michoacán.

Hacking Team sells the Da Vinci hacking program, developed in Italy, claiming that it is able to open all encrypted communications from the "targets" bypassing all protection schemes.

Last Sunday, all the private data from the company was published on its Twitter account by the hackers. The company deleted the post, but some archives are still online.

Da Vinci, able to open all sorts of communications and operative systems on mobile and fixed platforms, works using Trojans. There are two ways to get the information: Legal and illegal.

"There is a difference between what is known as monitoring, espionage or invasion of privacy," explained online information analyst Laura Gil. She said that there are systems monitoring al sorts of public communications, like on Twitter, and that would be legal.

But there are other ways to do things, like Trojans, able to "capture private information without your knowledge or permission."

In her opinion, the Da Vinci system is "vile and simple espionage," used not just by the security forces, but by companies for industrial espionage purposes.

Reporters without Borders included Hacking Team in its blacklist of "Internet Enemies".

According to http://csonline.com/, programs like Da Vinci have been used in various cases of espionage against people.

The following is the list of current and expired Mexican clients of the company.

CUSAEM Health Service for the Auxiliary Security Corporations of the State of Mexico. Expired.

DUSTIN Government of the State of Durango. Active.

EDQ Government of the State of Querétaro. Expired.

GEDP Government of the State of Puebla. Expired.

MCDF Mexico City police. Expired.

MXNV Ministry of the Navy. Not active.

PEMEX Petróleos Mexicanos. Expired.

PF Federal Police. Expired.

PGJEM Office of the Attorney of the State of Mexico. Active.

SDUC Government of the State of Campeche. Expired.

SEGOB (CISEN) Ministry of the Interior. Active.

SEPYF Department of Planning and Finances of the Government of the State of Baja California. Active.

SSPT Department of Public Security of the State of Tamaulipas. Active.

YUKI General Secretariat of the Government of the State of Yucatán. Active.