WhatsApp has successfully disrupted a widespread spyware campaign targeting approximately 90 users across more than two dozen countries, including several in Europe. The campaign used spyware created by Paragon Solutions, affecting individuals in Italy, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. The Italian government has confirmed that seven mobile phone users in Italy were victims of this cyber attack. Among those targeted are Francesco Cancellato, a journalist, Luca Casarini, an activist, and Husam El Gomati, a Sweden-based Libyan activist.
The Italian government swiftly denied any involvement in the surveillance of Italian citizens Cancellato and Casarini. A statement from the government clarified that the Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) had contacted WhatsApp and its legal representatives at Advant regarding the issue. However, both ACN and the Prime Minister's office have remained silent on the matter, declining to provide further comment.
WhatsApp has taken a firm stance against such invasions of privacy with its "zero-tolerance policy" towards malicious targeting. The company has implemented additional security measures to safeguard its users from similar threats in the future. Despite these efforts, WhatsApp has maintained user privacy by not disclosing the identities of those affected by the breach.
The spyware in question originates from Paragon Solutions, which admitted to selling its surveillance technology to the U.S. government and other unspecified "allies." In response to inquiries about its operations, Paragon stated that it "requires that all users agree to terms and conditions that explicitly prohibit the illicit targeting of journalists and other civil society figures."
While WhatsApp and Paragon have taken steps to address the breach, questions remain unanswered. Specifically, WhatsApp has not disclosed details regarding the number of targets within Italy and other affected countries. The Italian government's statement came days after WhatsApp's announcement of disrupting the campaign but did not provide additional insights into the extent of the espionage activities.
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