A UK-based Israeli couple have been formally charged for
allegedly developing a Trojan horse that helped Israeli companies
spy on their competitors.
Ruth Brier-Haephrati, 28, and her 44-year-old husband Michael
Haephrati were extradited from London to Tel Aviv in January.
According to the indictment, Michael Haephrati developed the
spyware Trojan horse, while his wife, Ruth, marketed it to several
private investigators.
Private investigators are said to have bought the code and
installed it onto the computers of their clients' rivals.
Ruth Brier-Haephrati has been charged with aggravated fraud,
unlawful computer access, virus insertion, installing tapping
equipment, invasion of privacy, managing an unlawful database, and
conspiracy to commit a crime.
Michael Haephrati is charged with lesser offences of assisting
his wife in these activities.
The Trojan horse is said to have been used by private
investigators to spy on the Rani Rahav PR agency, whose clients
include Israel's second biggest mobile phone operator Partner
Communications, and the HOT cable television group.
Another alleged victim of the Trojan is Champion Motors, which
imports Audi and Volkswagen motor vehicles.
Prosecutors have asked the Tel Aviv court to keep the couple in
custody until the trial’s conclusion.
“This case sends out a strong message that the menace of spyware
is growing, and that companies need to realise that it's not just
home users who are at risk,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology
consultant at security software company Sophos.
“Organised criminals are hell bent on stealing information and
making a profit at the expense of big business,” he said.