Overview

• An August 30 update in the Federal Procurement Data System shows ICE reactivated the Paragon deal, authorizing delivery of hardware, perpetual-license software, warranty, maintenance and training.
• ICE first signed the $2 million agreement on September 27, 2024, before a stop‑work order was issued on October 8, 2024 during a White House review under Executive Order 14093.
• Citizen Lab found forensic evidence in June that at least two European journalists’ iPhones were hacked with Paragon’s Graphite, with Apple confirming exploitation of CVE‑2025‑43200 and patching it in iOS 18.3.1.
• Paragon was reported in December 2024 to have been acquired by AE Industrial Partners with plans to merge into REDLattice, shifting the Israeli‑founded company under U.S. ownership.
• Italian oversight bodies confirmed limited government use of Graphite and disputed Paragon’s claim that it ended Italian contracts, while researchers and civil‑rights groups warned of civil‑liberties risks if ICE deploys such tools.