Paragon Solutions
Paragon Solutions has been named in 2 documented digital harm incidents. The most common harm domain is Privacy & Surveillance.
Documented Incidents
2Italian journalist targeted with Paragon spyware via WhatsApp after investigating far-right political groups
An Italian journalist, Francesco Cancellato, was targeted with Paragon spyware through his WhatsApp account in late last month. Cancellato, editor-in-chief of the Italian newspaper Fanpage, is one of four victims to publicly confirm being spied on, all of whom have been critical of the Italian government. He learned of the hack through a message from Meta, which informed him his account had been compromised. Digital forensic researchers from Citizen Lab confirmed the spyware was not Pegasus but identified it as Paragon. Cancellato has previously conducted undercover investigations into far-right political groups in Italy, including the party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He expressed concern that the spyware could be used to suppress dissent and warned that such surveillance is only the beginning of its expanded use.
Italy-based human rights activist targeted by spyware on iPhone linked to Paragon Solutions cyber-weapon
David Yambio, an Italy‑based human rights activist and co‑founder of Refugees in Libya, revealed that Apple informed him his iPhone was targeted in a spyware attack on 13 November 2024. Yambio, a former detainee in a Libyan prison and critic of Italy’s migrant policy, was not among the 90 people notified by WhatsApp in late January about similar spyware attacks. The spyware is believed to be produced by Paragon Solutions, an Israeli cyber‑weapons company, which terminated its contract with Italy over alleged violations. Yambio sought help from CyberHub‑AM and the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, which is investigating the incident. The Italian government denied involvement in the alleged breaches, and Yambio has criticized the Italy‑Libya migrant pact for enabling abuses against migrants. The incident raises concerns about witness protection and digital surveillance in the context of international criminal court cases.