tech
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.