Researcher angry after finding his code in Hacking Team malware

A security researcher has taken umbrage at Italian malware developer Hacking Team after discovering that his open source exploit tools were included in Android surveillance software sold to governments around the world.

Collin Mulliner, well-known in security circles for exposing vulnerabilities in mobile devices, published a blog post Tuesday that attempts to set the record straight. To wit: his tools—which among other things surreptitiously capture conversations and other sounds within earshot of infected Android phones—were used without permission or notice by Hacking Team. He learned about the use only after the breach of Hacking Team computers, which resulted in a 400-gigabyte leak of confidential company documents, including these e-mails showing company engineers discussing Mulliner’s tools.

In Tuesday’s post, Mulliner wrote: