One of the key concerns is the potential for spyware to be used by hostile foreign governments to target European officials and citizens. In August, Google's Threat Analysis Group found that Russian government hackers were using exploits made by spyware companies NSO Group and Intellexa. Meanwhile, Access NOW and Citizen Lab speculated that Estonia may have been behind the hacking of exiled Russian journalists, dissidents, and others using NSO Group's Pegasus spyware.

The use of spyware by European governments to target political opponents and dissidents is also a major concern. Krapiva argues that some European countries are using the same tools against the same people that Russia is targeting, creating a "huge mess" that undermines national security. This raises concerns about the potential for human rights violations and the erosion of trust in government.