Last year, WhatsApp and Apple alerted numerous individuals in Italy, including journalists and activists, that they had been targeted by government spyware. WhatsApp specifically accused Paragon Solutions, an Israeli-American surveillance technology firm, of supplying the hacking tools used in a global campaign that affected approximately 90 individuals with its “Graphite” spyware.
This revelation triggered a significant scandal in Italy, leading many victims to file criminal complaints, prompting prosecutors to initiate an investigation. However, despite earlier commitments to assist in inquiries, Paragon has reportedly been uncooperative.
According to reports from Wired Italy, prosecutors issued a formal request for information from Paragon through the Israeli government. Yet, over a year since the investigations commenced, the company has not responded. Paragon has publicly accused the Italian government of rejecting its offer to investigate alleged journalist hacking incidents, subsequently cancelling its contracts with Italy’s intelligence agencies, AISE and AISI.
The reasons behind Paragon’s lack of response remain unclear, raising the possibility of interference from the Israeli government. In 2024, The Guardian revealed that Israeli authorities had seized documents from NSO’s offices to obstruct compliance with a lawsuit demanding information regarding WhatsApp.
Israeli human rights attorney Eitay Mack suggested to Wired Italy that while the Israeli government can compel local firms to cooperate with foreign requests, this has not historically occurred. Earlier this year, Spain’s High Court similarly closed an investigation into the use of NSO’s spyware against Spanish politicians due to a lack of cooperation from Israeli authorities.
Paragon, the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C., and the prosecuting offices in Rome and Naples did not respond to media requests for comments. Public confrontations between spyware companies and their former clients are uncommon, and Paragon seemingly aims to distinguish itself from other controversial firms like NSO Group and Intellexa by presenting a more ethical image.
In a twist, Paragon’s official website, now inactive, previously claimed to provide ethically-based tools and insights to clients. This incident marks Paragon’s first public scandal, although the company maintains a contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which uses its spyware technology for initiatives against terrorism and drug trafficking.
The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has denied allegations of hacking concerning two journalists from the online news site Fanpage, whose devices were reportedly targeted by Graphite. Investigations by Citizen Lab confirmed the hacking of the journalists, alongside numerous activists associated with the non-profit Mediterranea Saving Humans, dedicated to rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean.
Despite investigations, the Italian parliamentary committee overseeing spy agencies concluded that while the targeting of activists was lawful, they could not substantiate claims against journalist Francesco Cancellato. The same prosecutors stated that a forensic examination confirmed Cancellato’s device had been hacked, while no definitive results were found regarding Ciro Pellegrino’s device. The prosecutors continue their inquiries into this unfolding situation.
Fanpage: TechArena.au
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