Greece Counter Terrorism Unit seeks 6 million euro surveillance system

The Greek Counter Terrorism Unit is reportedly seeking to purchase a surveillance system valued at 6,000,000 euros. However, concerns have been raised that the proposed technology is outdated and unable to monitor communications on modern encrypted platforms such as Viber and WhatsApp.

Following the Predator spyware scandal, which involved illegal surveillance by private entities and the EYP, the agency's legitimate interception systems for domestic and international terrorism and organized crime have been out of operation for the past two years due to obsolescence. While other nations have moved toward ‘no click’ technology that allows authorities to record conversations without requiring a user to open a deceptive SMS, the current Greek proposal relies on older methods through mobile networks that cannot access modern internet-based messaging applications.

Law 5002, passed in Greece in 2022 regarding the lifting of communication privacy and cybersecurity, includes provisions that could support the acquisition of new systems, but the current focus on older technology presents a significant security gap in monitoring high-risk targets.