tech
March 6, 2026
Italian activists and journalist targeted by spyware in 2024, prosecutors confirm
Investigation finds three were hacked by Paragon spyware at same time, potentially fuelling questions for government
TL;DR
- Italian prosecutors confirmed that two immigration activists and a journalist were hacked at the same time in late 2024.
- The hacking suggests all three were part of the same "infection campaign" using Paragon Solutions' spyware, known as Graphite.
- This independent finding contradicts a previous Italian parliamentary committee report (Copasir).
- The controversy first erupted in early 2025 when WhatsApp revealed hacking attempts on 90 individuals, including journalists and civil society members.
- The journalist, Francesco Cancellato, has published critical reporting on Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party.
- Paragon Solutions sells its spyware to government agencies but has stated it only sells to democratic countries and forbids use against journalists or civil society.
- The scandal has contributed to a decline in Italy's press freedom ranking.
- Prosecutors found traces of malware exclusively on three Android devices belonging to the activists and the journalist, dating back to December 14, 2024.
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