Overview

• Paragon Solutions, maker of the spyware Graphite, cut ties with two Italian government agencies after claims of misuse against journalists and activists surfaced.
• WhatsApp identified around 90 individuals, including journalists and civil society members in over two dozen countries, as targets of a zero-click spyware attack linked to Paragon.
• Three individuals critical of the Italian government, including a journalist and two activists, have come forward as victims of the alleged surveillance campaign.
• The Italian government has denied involvement in the targeting and stated that seven Italian users were affected, while also pointing to other European countries as potential clients of Paragon.
• Paragon reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for targeting journalists and civil society figures, stating it terminated Italy's access for violating its ethical framework and terms of service.