Another targeted Paragon Spyware moves forward

Another person has come forward who allegedly targeted WhatsApp using Spyware created by Israeli Company Paragon.

Beppe Caccio, one of the co-founders Near underground saves humansan Italian non-governmental organization supporting immigration told TechCrunch that it had been targeted by a spyware campaign.

Caccio revealed that he was targeted after Luca Casarini, one of the organization’s co-founders. I said it publicly Last week he received a notification from WhatsApp from warning him about alleged spyware attacks.

Casarini said on Monday that he filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office in Palermo, Italy, about the alleged hacking at a press conference hosted by Sandoro Lutoro, an Italian member of the European Parliament. Casarini said his goal was to find out who targeted him and his organization.

“There’s nothing to hide. People who spy have a lot to hide,” Casarini said.

Before Caccio, three other people said they had been notified from WhatsApp that around 90 people will be eligible. Spyware Made by Paragon. Included among the other three victims Francesco CanceratoDirector of news websites fanpage.it; Libyan activists Husam El Gomatilives in Sweden and tackles immigration issues related to Italy and Libya. and Casarini.

News from the Spyware campaign was destroyed on January 31st, WhatsApp said Disrupted the campaign and notified about 90 people Who was being targeted? WhatsApp has not attributed the campaign to a specific government, and Paragon has not revealed which government customers are behind the campaign.

The Italian government has refused to be involved in the hacking campaign. in press releaseThe Italian Prime Minister’s Office said legally protected subjects, including journalists, were not targeted by Italian intelligence agency.

In the same press release, the Italian government Meta said he said there were other targets. Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden.

Apart from Austria, the governments of these countries were not contacted through either the US Embassy or other government agencies, nor did they respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.

A spokesman for the Austrian Federal Home Ministry told TechCrunch that the Paragon attack was known to local governments, but also refused to provide more information.

At the same press conference that Casarini attended on Monday, David Yambioco-founder of an Italian-based NGO Libyan refugeesHe also said he was targeted by a spyware campaign. Yambio said he was not targeted through WhatsApp, but he said Guardian Apple notified him about the “mercian spyware attack” on November 13th.

At this point, it is unclear whether Yambio was part of the same hacking campaign as Paragon’s Spyware targeted campaign.

Neither the Italian government’s Paragon or a spokesman responded to TechCrunch’s request for comment.