I think you hand wave away the responsibility born by the Governments who regulate, control, and subsidise the arms trade.
Of course it is the fault of the user of the weapons as well - but UK and USA (to just name a couple more egregious examples) governments quite literally give money to foreign governments in order for them to funnel it directly back into arms deals. These weapons can then be used to destroy hospitals and schools in Yemen. Our governments are financing this loss of life in order to further propel the revolving door.
I see this kind of cyber weaponry as a simple subset of the above complex.
> I see this kind of cyber weaponry as a simple subset of the above complex.
This is exactly my point. I think that NSO should be just as responsible for the outcomes as any other arms manufacturer.
And I'm not waving away the government's responsibilities. Just the opposite - cyber weaponry is equivalent to other types of weaponry and should be treated as such.
This is why I feel that the discussion around NSO itself misses the point. It's like discussing Colt's responsibility whenever a government uses an M-16 to shoot a human rights activists. Colt may be responsible in some cases, but the important question is who bought the weapon and why did they use them against that specific target. Also, should the buyer be sanctioned and forbidden from purchasing such weapons in the future.
I agree with your larger claim but possibly differ in how to oppose these forces. Opposition in the abstract does nothing, apart from stoking ivory tower feel good emotions.
Going after one perpetrator, building a precedence, seems to have had more lasting effect than going for the abstract.
Of course it is the fault of the user of the weapons as well - but UK and USA (to just name a couple more egregious examples) governments quite literally give money to foreign governments in order for them to funnel it directly back into arms deals. These weapons can then be used to destroy hospitals and schools in Yemen. Our governments are financing this loss of life in order to further propel the revolving door.
I see this kind of cyber weaponry as a simple subset of the above complex.