The Center for Democracy & Technology, along with 35 other civil society organizations and several spyware experts, has urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to disclose information regarding its $2 million contract with Paragon Solutions (US) Inc. Paragon is an Israeli-based spyware vendor known for its product, Graphite, which extracts communications content.

The contract is reportedly being reviewed for compliance with President Biden's executive order on spyware. This order prohibits U.S. government agencies from using commercial spyware that could be improperly used by foreign entities to collect information on activists, journalists, dissidents, political figures, and marginalized communities. The intention is to prevent intimidation or suppression of free expression.

"We asked DHS to describe the steps it had taken to ensure that entering into this contract was consistent with the spyware EO and to provide records about its procurement of spyware," states the letter.