The Italian government has strongly denied accusations of spying on journalists and activists, particularly those aiding migrants, using special surveillance software. The denial came after reports surfaced claiming that at least seven mobile phones in Italy had been hacked using military-grade technology provided by Israeli cybersecurity firm Paragon Solutions.
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, issued a statement on January 31st, revealing that it had thwarted a “spy campaign” carried out by Paragon, targeting several users, including journalists and civil society members. The campaign involved hacking attempts against multiple users across Italy and other countries such as Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
In response to the allegations, Italian authorities confirmed that the phones of at least seven individuals in Italy were targeted and announced that the National Cybersecurity Agency would conduct an investigation. However, Italian Minister for Parliamentary Relations, Luca Ciriani, assured lawmakers that the government had a long-standing contract with Paragon Solutions for intelligence-gathering capacities related to counter-terrorism and national security, emphasizing that the law was strictly adhered to and denying any illegal spying on journalists.
