The intelligence service of the United Kingdom GCHQ does not break the law when it conducts hacking on computers, according to a court ruling.
The details of the United Kingdom's intelligence service's involvement in the exploitation of a computer network were revealed for the first time by Edward Snowden.
The case was taken to court, and GCHQ admitted that it conducts hacking on computers “inside and outside the United Kingdom”, and that about one fifth of the information it collects comes from hacking.
GCHQ can exploit vulnerabilities in almost any device such as cameras, computers, firewalls, smart devices, and objects that are considered part of the Internet of Things, such as games and thermostats.
The court's ruling, published Friday (PDF), said the agency's alleged hacking efforts "raised a number of serious questions" but, citing evidence, concluded that a "proper balance" must be struck between the needs of the intelligence agency and public safeguards.
Scarlet Kim, legal counsel of Privacy International, which had filed the case, said that his team was “disappointed” and that he would appeal the decision.
“Allowing governments to do hacking puts security, the stability of the Internet and the information exchanged at stake”, said Kim.
And added: “This case exposed not only the practices of the secret services, but also the anti-democratic way in which the government operates, which seeks to legitimize this practice.”
On the other hand, the British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, whose office oversees GCHQ, welcomed the decision, adding (BBC News) that the ability to exploit computer networks “plays a critical role in our ability to protect the British public.”
