Italian Government Reveals Paragon Spyware Targeting Citizens Across Europe

Italian Government Reveals Paragon Spyware Targeting Citizens Across Europe

The recent spyware campaign, uncovered by WhatsApp and executed using technology from Paragon Solutions, has raised serious concerns about privacy and cybersecurity in Europe. The Italian government has released a statement addressing the targeting of its citizens amidst this troubling situation.

Italian Government Responds to Spyware Allegations

Led by far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the Italian government has strongly denied any involvement in the targeting of specific individuals. Notable figures affected include Francesco Cancellato, a journalist from the news site Fanpage.it, and Luca Casarini, an activist associated with Mediterranea Saving Humans, a non-profit organization focused on aiding immigrants.

Details of the Spyware Campaign

According to the Italian government’s press release, the Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), or National Cybersecurity Agency, reached out to WhatsApp and its legal representatives at Advant. They confirmed that there were seven mobile phone users in Italy who had been targeted by this spyware campaign.

  • WhatsApp has not disclosed the identities of these individuals, citing privacy concerns.
  • The campaign reportedly affected users in several other European countries, including:
    • Austria
    • Belgium
    • Cyprus
    • Czech Republic
    • Denmark
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Latvia
    • Lithuania
    • The Netherlands
    • Portugal
    • Spain
    • Sweden

WhatsApp has yet to confirm the number of targets in Italy or provide additional details regarding the countries mentioned by the Italian authorities.

Recent Developments Post-Spyware Disclosure

This statement comes shortly after WhatsApp announced the disruption of a spyware operation targeting approximately 90 users across over 24 countries, primarily in Europe. Among the affected individuals, Cancellato, Casarini, and Husam El Gomati, a Swedish-Libyan activist critical of both the Italian and Libyan governments, have publicly identified themselves as targets.

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Paragon Solutions’ Position on the Spyware Technology

Paragon Solutions confirmed to TechCrunch that they sell their surveillance technology to the U.S. government and other unnamed allies. The company emphasized that it mandates users to adhere to terms and conditions that explicitly forbid the illicit targeting of journalists and civil society members.

  • Paragon Solutions has a zero-tolerance policy for violations of these terms.
  • They assert that they will terminate relationships with any customers found to be in breach of these policies.

As of now, neither Paragon Solutions nor the offices of Italy’s ACN and the Prime Minister have responded to requests for further comment regarding the allegations.

For anyone with additional information about Paragon Solutions or the ongoing spyware campaign, feel free to reach out to Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai via secure channels such as Signal at +1 917 257 1382 or through Telegram and Keybase @lorenzofb.

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