WhatsApp says its users targeted by Israeli spyware company Paragon
An official at Meta's popular WhatsApp chat service has said Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions targeted 90 of its users, including journalists and members of civil society.
The official told the Reuters news agency on Friday that WhatsApp had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist letter following the hack.
The official declined to say who, specifically, was targeted but confirmed that WhatsApp is referring targets to the Canadian internet watchdog group Citizen Lab.
He declined to say how WhatsApp ascertained that Paragon was responsible for the breach. He said law enforcement and industry partners had been informed, but would not go into detail.
In a statement, WhatsApp said the company 'will continue to protect people's ability to communicate privately'.
WhatsApp also told the United Kingdom's Guardian newspaper that it had 'high confidence' the users in question had been targeted and 'possibly compromised'.
Paragon declined to comment.
Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton told Reuters that the discovery of Paragon spyware targeting WhatsApp users 'is a reminder that mercenary spyware continues to proliferate and as it does, so we continue to see familiar patterns of problematic use'.
Paragon sells high-end surveillance software to government clients. They typically advertise their services as critical to fighting crime and protecting national security.
Similar spy tools – which allow remote access to mobile devices without the victim's knowledge – have been discovered on the phones of journalists, activists, and at least 50 US officials, raising concerns about the unchecked proliferation of spyware technology.
Several reports in recent years have found that Israeli-made Pegasus spyware has been used by governments across the world to spy on activists, journalists, and even heads of state.
Paragon, which was co-founded by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, was reportedly sold to a US private equity firm, AE Industrial Partners, for $900m in 2024.
The company's website advertises 'ethically based tools, teams, and insights to disrupt intractable threats'.
Natalia Krapiva, senior tech-legal counsel at the advocacy group Access Now, said Paragon had the reputation of being a more responsible spyware company, 'but WhatsApp's recent revelations suggest otherwise'.
'This is not just a question of some bad apples — these types of abuses [are] a feature of the commercial spyware industry,' she told Reuters.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Israeli attacks kill 27 aid seekers in Gaza, says health ministry
Agencies Gaza Israeli forces have killed at least 27 Palestinians and injured 90 more as they opened fire close to an aid distribution site in Rafah, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The latest killings came early on Tuesday at the Flag Roundabout, near an aid hub operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). It was the third such incident around the Rafah hub in as many days. Gaza's authorities report that more than 100 aid seekers have been killed since the United States- and Israel-backed GHF started operating in the enclave on May 27, with reports of violence, looting and chaos rife. The Israeli military said it had fired shots as 'a number of suspects' deviated from the regulated routes, on which a crowd was making its way to the GHF distribution complex. The 'suspects' were about 500 metres (approximately 550 yards) from the site, the military said in a statement on Telegram, adding that it was looking into reports of casualties. The death toll was confirmed by Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Gaza Health Ministry's records department. A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Hisham Mhanna, said 184 wounded people had been taken to its field hospital in Rafah, 19 of whom were found dead on arrival, and eight others died later of their wounds. Video verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad fact-checking agency showed the arrival of dozens of injured people at the hospital. Gaza's Government Media Office accused Israel of 'a horrific, intentionally repeated crime', saying it has been luring starving Palestinians to the GHF centres – controversially opened following an 11-week total blockade to take over most aid distribution from the United Nations and other aid agencies – and then opening fire. It said Tuesday's death toll brought the number of aid seekers killed at aid sites in the Rafah governorate and the so-called Netzarim Corridor since GHF launched operations to 102, with 490 others injured. The United Nations on Monday demanded an independent investigation into the repeated mass shootings of aid seekers in Gaza. 'It is unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food,' said Secretary General Antonio Guterres. 'I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.' 'We heard from witnesses that there was chaos,' said Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary, reporting about Tuesday's killings from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. 'The Israeli forces just opened fire randomly, shooting Palestinians … using quadcopters and live ammunition.' Health Ministry officials and doctors said most of the wounded have been hit in their chest and head, she added. The bloodshed, she continued, had unfolded in the same way as on the previous two days, amid ongoing chaos around the aid distribution centres. 'There's no process. There's no system,' she said. 'You just need to run first to be able to get the food.' Rasha al-Nahal told The Associated Press news agency that 'there was gunfire from all directions', and that she saw more than a dozen people dead and several wounded on the road. When she finally made it to the distribution hub, there was no aid, al-Nahal said, adding that Israeli troops 'fired at us as we were returning'. Another witness, Neima al-Aaraj, from Khan Younis, described the shooting as 'indiscriminate'. 'I won't return,' she said. 'Either way, we will die.' The Israeli military, in its statement on Telegram, said troops had fired warning shots as people deviated from 'designated access routes' and 'after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced toward the troops'. However, it denied firing on civilians or blocking them from accessing aid. This account echoes statements around similar incidents on Sunday, when 31 aid seekers were reportedly killed, and on Monday, when three more were killed.
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Suicide bomber killed in Uganda's capital: Army
Two people who the Ugandan army describe as 'armed terrorists' have been killed in the capital, Kampala, as the country marks Martyrs Day - a Christian celebration to commemorate the faithful who died in the 19th Century. A counter-terrorism unit 'intercepted and neutralized' the two, one of whom was a female suicide bomber, in the upmarket suburb of Munyonyo, army spokesperson Chris Magezi said. The incident took place near the Roman Catholic Munyonyo Martyrs' Shrine, where a group had gathered to pray, local media reported. Reports also cited an explosion, with an eyewitness telling Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper that the blast occurred as the two approached the church on a motorcycle. The army spokesperson did not confirm the blast, but added that the authorities were on 'heightened alert'. One of those killed was a female 'suicide bomber laden with powerful explosives', Col Magezi said in a post on X. Footage from Uganda's NBS Television showed security and forensics personnel at the scene of the incident, after having sealed off the area. Col Magezi told Reuters that it was believed the two people were linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group. (Agencies)
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
GCC hails Qatar's efforts to broker Gaza ceasefire
QNA Kuwait The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) hailed the strenuous efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar, in close coordination with its mediation partners, mainly the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, secure the release of hostages, and ensure the unfettered entry of life-saving humanitarian aid. The Council stressed the imperative of bringing the Israeli aggression on the Strip to an end and called for extending full-fledged political and diplomatic backing to reach an enduring and comprehensive resolution. The final communique, issued after the 164th Session of the GCC Ministerial Council, convened on Monday in Kuwait, reaffirmed the GCC's unwavering position in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and underscored the urgency of alleviating their protracted suffering. The Council called for an immediate end to the Israeli-imposed blockade, the full opening of all border crossings to facilitate the unhindered entry of humanitarian and relief aid, as well as essential supplies, and the guaranteed, uninterrupted delivery of these necessities to the civilian population across the Strip. The Council condemned the announcement by the Israeli occupation authorities regarding the establishment of an agency aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, affirming its unequivocal support for the resilience of the Palestinian people on their territories. It firmly rejected all attempts to depopulate Gaza and underscored the imperative of respecting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on their own soil, while warning against any destabilizing actions that seek to undermine their inalienable rights. In addition, the Council held the Israeli occupation fully accountable for its persistent violations and brutal assaults on the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in the martyrdom of tens of thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, acts that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international humanitarian law. The Council condemned the Israeli occupation's ratification of the plan to fragment 13 settlement enclaves in the West Bank, its relentless construction of settlement units across the occupied Palestinian territory, and the forcible eviction of Palestinians from their homes. It reaffirmed its outright rejection of any attempts to annex West Bank settlements to the Israeli entity. On the Gulf front, the Council underscored its enduring commitment to the strength and cohesion of the GCC, the unity of its ranks, and the advancement of greater coordination, integration, and interconnectedness across all sectors, so as to fulfill the aspirations of GCC citizens. It affirmed that its member states stand in absolute solidarity in the face of any threat targeting any of the GCC states. The Council took note of the political efforts spearheaded by GCC member states and Arab nations to cease the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, commending the humanitarian and relief assistance extended by GCC states to Gaza, including the popular campaigns launched to support the Palestinian people and ensure the delivery of life-saving aid to the embattled population. The Council hailed the outcomes of the Gulf–US Summit 2025, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on May 14, 2025, and the Second ASEAN–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, convened on May 27, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Both summits underscored the growing strategic alignment and reinforced multilateral cooperation frameworks. On the Syrian issue, the Council stressed the imperative of upholding Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial unity, unequivocally rejecting any foreign meddling in its internal affairs. It affirmed that the security and stability of Syria constitute a fundamental pillar of regional security architecture. On the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, the Council reiterated that its stance is anchored in the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, emphasizing the preservation of the rules-based international order founded on respect for state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence. The communique further took note of the diplomatic efforts led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, particularly its hosting of direct talks between the Russian Federation and the United States of America over Ukraine crisis, expressing hope that such engagements would culminate in advancing their intended objectives of bolstering security and stability. It welcomed the ceasefire deal reached between India and Pakistan and their decision to prioritize wisdom and restraint, expressing hope that this development would pave the way for restoring security and stability across the region.
