WhatsApp announces espionage attempt: Israel tried to infiltrate Italian journalist's phone
The US-based messaging app WhatsApp has announced that journalists and activists in more than 20 countries have been targeted by an Israel-based spyware company. The first victim identified was Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato.
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Cancellato learned he had been subjected to a cyberattack through a message from WhatsApp. In the message sent to his phone, WhatsApp informed the journalist that he had been 'the target of cyberattacks.' The journalist stated that the attack was confirmed following investigations conducted with independent experts.
Paragon Solutions’ software, called Graphite, can gain full access to target devices, allowing it to reach data within encrypted messaging apps. Experts state that the software operates using a 'zero-click' method, meaning the user does not need to click on any links.
According to a report by the BBC, Cancellato had exposed pro-fascist rhetoric within the party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his time as editor-in-chief at the Fanpage news site. The journalist noted that he wants to find out who ordered this espionage activity.
In the message sent to Cancellato, WhatsApp included the following statements:
'In December, we stopped the activities of a spyware company that we believe attacked your device. You may have received a malicious file.'
Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato
MESSAGE FROM META: 'WE WILL PROTECT OUR USERS'
Meta announced that after detecting the attack, it sent a warning to Paragon and is cooperating with law enforcement. The company emphasized that it will continue to protect the right of its users to private communication.
Paragon was founded in 2019 by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The company claims it sells its technology only to democratic countries for the purpose of fighting crime. However, it is alleged that the Graphite software is being used as a spyware tool similar to Pegasus.
This incident recalls the Pegasus scandal that emerged a few years ago. In 2019, WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against NSO Group, the owner of Pegasus, and received a favorable court ruling.