They contacted team for spy tools
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Hyderabad: Four months before a mediator stepped in for a deal between Italian surveillance malware giant Hacking Team and AP intelligence wing cops had directly contacted the firm asking for a Remote Control System software, which can help hack into target’s computers and mobile devices, install backdoors, and monitor them easily.
The e-mails leaked by WikiLeaks revealed a conversation which took place in January. this year between T. Durga Prasad, Inspector of AP Intelligence and Hacking Team official Daniel Maglietta.
The first e-mail was sent by Mr Prasad to the company’s mail ID info@hackingteam.com on January 7 with the subject — ‘Request info on Remote Control System’. After four days, Mr Maglietta replied to the Inspector asking him to sign a ‘Nondisclosure Agreement’ before proceeding since the details about the hardware solution is highly confidential. In the mail, the Inspector wrote, “We are a government Intelligence Agency in India and we are looking towards a solution like Remote Control System. Please send the information on Remote Control System and pricing details to go further.”
In his reply, Mr Maglietta wrote on January 12, “Dear Mr Durga Prasad thanks for contacting us and for the interest in our technology. My name is Daniel Maglietta and I am the person in charge of the Far East market for HT. In order to provide more information on our product, we would firstly need to sign a Nondisclosure Agreement which I have attached to this e-mail. By signing this document we will be able to discuss more confidentially about the solution. Thanks for your understanding and please feel free to contact me for any further information you may need.”
However, there was no follow up of this e-mail conversation available in the leaked e-mails. The private firm Ortus Consulting stepped in, in order to make the deal more confidential and professional.
When this reporter contacted the Inspector, Mr Prasad, he refused to comment on the issue stating he was not authorised to talk. Meanwhile, another internal e-mail conversation of Hacking Team officials indicates that booking for their flights to Hyderabad were confirmed.
The e-mail dated July 3 with the Subject ‘Demo India’, Mr Maglietta wrote to his subordinate Mr Antonella Capaldo, who takes care of the travel arrangements for company trips asking him to confirm the ticket. In the six e-mails exchanged, the flight ticket details, confirmation details, and other travel details were given.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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