Experts at Sophos have applauded an Israeli court's decision to fine Ruth and Michael Haephrati for developing and selling a spyware Trojan horse.
Having previously entered into a plea bargain to be sentenced to four and two years in jail respectively, the married couple have also been fined two million shekels in compensation (approximately $423,200) for their unlawful actions.
The Trojan horse, which helped private investigators spy on their clients' business competitors, was said to have been originally created by Michael Haephrati as a practical joke, before his wife decided to market the malicious program. Since the couple were arrested, several private investigators have also been indicted.
Carole Theriault, senior security consultant at Sophos, said,
"It's encouraging to see that governments and law enforcement agencies all over the world are cracking down on the perpetrators of cyber crime. Industrial espionage through illegal software use is on the rise, and the only way to stamp it out is by ensuring that the guilty parties don't get off lightly. By dishing out both a jail sentence and a hefty fine, the Israeli court has sounded a stern warning that will hopefully deter others from committing such misdemeanours."
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