Report: CIA Used Swiss Firm to Spy on Allies, Foes Via Hacked Encryption Tech

For decades, the CIA spied on governments across the globe by using a Swiss company to sell hacked encryption equipment to unsuspecting clients, including both allies and foes, according to The Washington Post and German broadcaster ZDF.

The report, which cites classified CIA documents, focuses on the company Crypto AG, which was a major producer of old-school mechanical encryption machines for the US government during World War II. By the early 1950s, American spies began to worry Crypto AG might sell the same technology to the US’s enemies during the Cold War, including Russia and China.