Israeli mass surveillance tool from Cobwebs Technologies deployed in Hungary

Hungarian intelligence services and law enforcement agencies have been using advanced surveillance tools from the Israeli company Cobwebs Technologies for years, including the Webloc geolocation monitoring system. According to an investigative report by VSquare published on 9 April, this marks the first known deployment of such mass surveillance technology – based on smartphone advertising and location data – in an EU member state.

The VSquare investigation, which draws on research from the Citizen Lab, reveals that Webloc can track individuals’ movements by analysing advertising and location data collected from mobile apps. The system also supports geofencing, allowing authorities to monitor specific areas or groups of people. Hungarian agencies reportedly began using Cobwebs products at least as early as 2022. In March 2026 – just weeks before the 12 April parliamentary elections – they renewed additional licenses for these tools.

The procurement package went beyond Webloc. It reportedly included:

Tangles – an AI-supported online investigation platform
CoAnalyst – a generative AI layer for data analysis
A blockchain analysis module for tracking cryptocurrency transactions
A “Full AI” extension package

Together, these tools enable the collection and analysis of data from social media, the open web, the deep web, and the dark web. They also support facial recognition, natural language processing, and other advanced capabilities.

Procurement through a controversial intermediary

The licenses were acquired through SCI-Network Telecommunications and System Integration Ltd. (SCI-Hálózat), a Hungarian company acting as intermediary. According to VSquare, SCI-Network had previously developed a domestic open-source intelligence (OSINT) system called Quvasz (or Q-VASZ) using public funds. Sources told investigators that this in-house system was technically weak, yet authorities still purchased the Israeli tools through the same company – a move that allegedly inflated costs significantly.

VSquare also reports that SCI-Network may be linked to the development of a Hungarian mobile spyware tool. Anonymous sources described it as potentially capable of zero-click attacks in some cases, though others noted that it leaves obvious traces and drains phone batteries unusually quickly. It remains unclear whether this is a fully domestic product or rebranded foreign technology.

Ties to political circles and previous spyware scandals

SCI-Network presents itself as a long-established system integrator with over 25 years in business. Its website highlights a dedicated “Defense” unit that claims partnerships with all Hungarian law enforcement organizations and holds authorizations for trading military and dual-use equipment, as well as the highest-level security clearances.

In 2024, the company reported net revenue of 24.65 billion Hungarian forints (65 million euro) – roughly equivalent to the annual budget of Hungary’s state intelligence services. It has also won major civilian state IT contracts, including a 1.79 billion forint project in 2023 to build server systems for the state-owned Food Rescue Center.

According to the investigation, SCI-Network belongs to the business circle of Tamás Berki, a former colonel at the Constitutional Protection Office. After leaving the intelligence service, Berki entered the private cybersecurity and AI sector while maintaining close connections with Antal Rogán, the powerful minister who oversees Hungary’s intelligence services. A recent HVG article also highlighted these links.

The VSquare report frames the Cobwebs deployment as a continuation of earlier scandals involving Israeli spyware such as Pegasus, Candiru, Black Cube, and FinFisher. Hungary has previously been implicated in the use of such tools to surveil journalists, opposition politicians, and other civilians.

Kompromat and “black PR” against the government of Slovenia

While no direct evidence is presented that the new tools have been used against specific targets, they could technically enable broad monitoring of journalists and political opponents.

Lack of official response

Átlátszó and VSquare reached out to the National Security and Intelligence Service (NBSZ), SCI-Network, and Hungary’s data protection authority for comment, but received no responses. PenLink, another company mentioned in connection with the tools, disputed some of the Citizen Lab’s findings but did not deny that its products had been sold in Hungary.