Hidden Spyware in the Service of State Security. Legal, Organisational and Systemic Aspects

To meet the challenges in cybersecurity, the state and its bodies must develop classified instruments that will enable the acquisition of data without the active involvement of private sector entities. These programs are installed on a user’s device without their consent to collect and send information about the operating system and any information contained therein. It is not the purpose of this article to analyse the admissibility of using tools typical for criminal activities in the digital world for ensuring state and citizen security. My interest here is to consider what substantive, procedural and institutional guarantees must be met to ensure a balance between the protection of human rights and basic procedural guarantees (such as the presumption of innocence) and the effectiveness of activities in cyberspace.