US-backed Israeli company's spyware used to target European journalists, Citizen Lab finds
Spyware from a U.S.-backed Israeli company was used to target the phones of at least three prominent journalists in Europe, two of whom are editors at an investigative news site in Italy, according to digital researchers at Citizen Lab, citing new forensic evidence of the attacks.
The findings come amid a growing questions about what role the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni may have played in spying on journalists and civil society activists critical of her leadership, and raised new concerns about the potential for abuse of commercial spyware, even in democratic countries.
'Any attempts to illegally access data of citizens, including journalists and political opponents, is unacceptable, if confirmed,' the European Commission said in a statement Wednesday in response to questions from members of parliament. 'The Commission will use all the tools at its disposal to ensure the effective application of EU law.'
Meloni's office declined to comment Thursday, but a prominent member of her Cabinet has said that Italy 'rigorously respected' the law and that the government hadn't illegally spied on journalists.
Mercenary spyware industry
The company behind the hacks, Paragon Solutions, has sought to position itself as a virtuous player in the mercenary spyware industry and won U.S. government contracts, The Associated Press found.
Backed by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Paragon was reportedly acquired by AE Industrial Partners, a private investment firm based in Florida, in a December deal worth at least $500 million, pending regulatory approvals. AE Industrial Partners didn't directly respond to requests for comment on the deal.
Paragon's spyware, Graphite, was used to target around 90 WhatsApp users from more than two dozen countries, primarily in Europe, Meta said in January. Since then, there's been a scramble to figure out who was hacked and who was responsible.
'We've seen first-hand how commercial spyware can be weaponized to target journalists and civil society, and these companies must be held accountable,' a spokesperson for WhatsApp told AP in an email. 'WhatsApp will continue to protect peoples' ability to communicate privately.' Meta said the vulnerability has been patched and they have not detected subsequent attacks. Meta also sent a cease-and-desist letter to Paragon. Last month, a California court awarded Meta $168 million in damages from Israel's NSO Group, whose spyware was used to hack 1,400 WhatsApp accounts, including of journalists, activists and government officials.
Journalists targeted
The Citizen Lab's findings, released today, show that the use of spyware against journalists has continued, despite the backlash against NSO Group, and establish for the first time that Paragon was able to successfully infect Apple devices.
Ciro Pellegrino, who heads the Naples newsroom of an investigative news outlet called Fanpage.it, received a notice on April 29 that his iPhone had been targeted.
Last year, Fanpage secretly infiltrated the youth wing of Meloni's Brothers of Italy party and filmed some of them making fascist and racist remarks. Pellegrino's colleague, Fanpage editor-in-chief Francesco Cancellato, also received a notice from Meta that his Android device had been targeted by Paragon spyware, though forensic evidence that his phone was actually infected with Graphite hasn't yet surfaced, according to Citizen Lab.
The Citizen Lab's report today also revealed a third case, of a 'prominent European journalist,' who asked to remain anonymous, but is connected to the Italian cluster by forensic evidence unearthed by researchers at the laboratory, which is run out of the Munk School at the University of Toronto. The Citizen Lab, which has analyzed all the devices, said the attack came via iMessage, and that Apple has patched the vulnerability. Apple did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
'Paragon is now mired in exactly the kind of abuse scandal that NSO Group is notorious for,' said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab. 'This shows the industry and its way of doing business is the problem. It's not just a few bad apples.'
Stealthy spyware
Paragon's spyware is especially stealthy because it can compromise a device without any action from the user. Similar to the NSO Group's notorious Pegasus spyware, which has been blacklisted by the U.S. government, Graphite allows the operator to covertly access applications, including encrypted messengers like Signal and WhatsApp.
'There's no link to click, attachment to download, file to open or mistake to make,' Scott-Railton said. 'One moment the phone is yours, and the next minute its data is streaming to an attacker.'
Parliamentary oversight
COPASIR, the parliamentary committee overseeing the Italian secret services, took the rare step last week of making public the results of its investigation into the government's use of Paragon. The COPASIR report said that Italian intelligence services hadn't spied on Cancellato, the editor of Fanpage.
The report did confirm the surveillance, with tools including Graphite, of civil society activists, but said they had been targeted legally and with government authorization — not as activists but over their work related to irregular immigration and national security.
Giovanni Donzelli, vice president of COPASIR and a prominent member of Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, declined further comment Thursday, saying the parliamentary report was 'more relevant than an analysis done by a privately funded Canadian laboratory.'
Citizen Lab says it's 'rigorously independent,' and doesn't accept research funding from governments or companies.
Italy and Paragon both say they've terminated their relationship, but offer starkly different versions of the breakup.
Paragon referred questions to a statement it gave to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, in which the company said that it stopped providing spyware to Italy after the government declined its offer to help investigate Cancellato's case. Italian authorities, however, said they had rejected Paragon's offer over national security concerns and ended the relationship following media outcry.
U.S. contracts
Paragon has been keen to deflect reputational damage that could, in theory, impact its contracts with the U.S. government.
A 2023 executive order, which so far hasn't been overturned by U.S. President Donald Trump, prohibits federal government departments and agencies from acquiring commercial spyware that has been misused by foreign governments, including to limit freedom of expression and political dissent.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Paragon a one-year, $2 million contract last September for operations and support of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, public records show.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has also reportedly used the spyware. In December 2022, Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who at the time chaired the House Intelligence Committee, wrote to the administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration questioning whether the DEA's use of Graphite spyware undermined efforts to deter the 'broad proliferation of powerful surveillance capabilities to autocratic regimes and others who may misuse them.'
___
Byron Tau in Washington, and Lorne Cook in Brussels, contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Sun
Billi Mucklow glams up for Towie wedding – while ex Andy Carroll is quizzed by police over girlfriend rows
BILLI Mucklow looked sensational after glamming up for the wedding of her Towie pals Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallett. The former Towie star, 37, sizzled in a bright red off-the-shoulder gown with sweeping sheer skirt at the lavish nuptials. 7 7 7 7 Billi's frock had a sexy thigh-high split and she looked stunning while posing with other members of the wedding party and gorgeous bride Georgia. The pictures of Billi at Georgia and Tommy's second wedding, which was held in Mallorca, come after her ex Andy Carroll was quizzed by police. The Sun on Sunday has exclusively revealed how the ex-Premier League footballer was questioned over bust-ups with his girlfriend Lou Teasdale on the Greek party island Mykonos. Carroll and make-up artist to the stars Lou are said to have rowed at a packed beachside restaurant and then at their hotel. One worker at the Nikolus Tavern said of the first argument: 'We recognised him as the footballer Andy Carroll immediately. 'He seemed very drunk and furious with his partner. 'He was using very bad words. It was improper behaviour. The woman looked very upset.' Police arrived after the first incident and took the former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham ace to one side for a chat. He was later allowed to return to Lou. But just hours later, police were called again by alarmed staff after reports of damage to the couple's room at a £500-a-night boutique hotel. Officers are said to have escorted Carroll to a local station for questioning. He was not arrested and it is understood no further action was taken. A joint statement from Carroll and Lou said: 'Whilst having a private dinner in a restaurant on a quiet holiday in Mykonos, we had a heated discussion of the sort that most couples have had on occasion. It quickly became apparent to the police that there was no reason for them to be there. 'We went outside the restaurant with them together as they insisted they wanted to 'look after' us. 'As far as we are concerned, the situation has been blown out of all proportion by an interested member of the public. No one was arrested and no one was charged with anything. We are very happy, in love and looking forward to our future together and we are disappointed that a private disagreement has become a public matter.' The Mykonos hotel and police on the island declined to comment when contacted last night. Meanwhile, Billi touched down in Mallorca last week ahead of Georgia and Tommy's wedding. The mum-of-three, who also looks after Carroll's two eldest children from a previous relationship, looked incredible as she showed her ex what he is missing in a bikini. She has since shared a selection of photos from Georgia and Tommy's big day. They previously said 'I do' in 2023. Billi gushed: "Congratulations @georgiakousoulou & @iamtommyfordham. "The best day & night celebrating you both ❤️." Billi announced her split with Carroll in October last year. He confirmed his romance with Lou just weeks later. 7 7 7
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
UK government unveils £275m investment in training and apprenticeships in Ebgland
The government will present a £275m investment in technical training and apprenticeships as the centrepiece of its long-awaited industrial strategy, in a direct challenge to Nigel Farage's growing influence in England's manufacturing heartlands. The package, announced by the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, on Sunday, includes funding for new technical excellence colleges, short courses in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital manufacturing, and major capital upgrades to training providers across England. It aims to tackle longstanding skills shortages in engineering, defence and high-growth sectors such as battery production and advanced manufacturing. Officials said the new strategy was designed to 'end the overreliance on foreign labour' and ensure a pipeline of domestic talent for critical industries – a move clearly aimed at countering Farage's narrative of national decline and reclaiming the industrial vote in traditional Labour strongholds. While the £275m pledge is not a full industrial funding package – and falls short of sector-wide subsidies or energy cost changes – it is being positioned by ministers as the first concrete step in a broader 10-year plan for growth. The full strategy, due to be published this week, will also include a new trade strategy focused on exports, supply chains and making the country 'the best-connected place in the world to do business'. Reynolds said the skills funding marked a shift away from decades of managed decline. 'Our modern industrial strategy will be powered by investing in British people,' he said. 'It will help transform our skills system to end the overreliance on foreign labour, and ensure British workers can secure good, well-paid jobs in the industries of tomorrow and drive growth and investment right across the country.' The announcement comes as Reform UK intensifies efforts to peel off Labour voters in post-industrial seats, with Farage promising to restore manufacturing and impose tougher immigration rules. While Labour has promised a broad 'plan for change', the industrial strategy has been delayed for months as ministers wrestled with how best to rebuild support in regions hit hardest by automation, outsourcing and underinvestment. The timing now is deliberate – a policy-heavy counteroffensive in the so-called red wall, where Reform UK has surged in recent polling. The skills package responds to a stark reality: one in seven young people are not in education or employment, and the number of apprenticeships has fallen by nearly 20% since 2016. The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, called the strategy an 'economic and social reset'. 'Skills rightly run right through the heart of this industrial strategy because they are key to breaking the link between background and success for young people,' she said. The strategy builds on previous announcements, including a £187m package for AI training announced during London Tech Week and a £3bn apprenticeship fund to create 120,000 places in healthcare, carpentry and construction. But the scale of new funding is modest – about £275m spread over four years, including roughly £200m for infrastructure and course delivery – and Labour may face pressure from industry and unions to go further in reforming the apprenticeship levy, immigration skills charge and energy costs for heavy industry.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
More than 1 million private rental homes are substandard, new analysis reveals
Almost a quarter of privately rented homes in the UK fail to meet basic living standards, shocking new analysis has revealed. According to data from independent House of Commons library researchers, more than a million rented homes do not meet the Decent Homes Standard - which is 21 per cent of the private market. It comes as the UK recorded a new hottest day of the year as temperatures soared in a 33C heatwave on Saturday. With a growing number of people forced to rent, almost one in five homes (19 per cent) in the UK are from the private rental market. Despite new restrictions and tougher rules on landlords being introduced by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, the research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that private renters are facing increasingly poor conditions with their accommodation. The Lib Dems are calling for a new insulation installation program to help homes deal with extreme changes in temperature, like heatwaves, better. The latest data reveals the shocking extent of living standards for renters across the country. Nearly half a million (496,000) privately rented homes are rated with category 1 hazards, according to the housing health and safety rating system. This is the most serious category and poses a serious and immediate risk to people's health and safety, the system suggests. In total, this is more than 10 per cent of all privately rented accommodation in the country. The data also highlights the reasons why privately rented homes fail the basic standard. A shocking 389,000 privately rented homes did not have a reasonable degree of thermal comfort, meaning homes are not maintained at liveable temperatures. A further 298,000 homes were deemed not in a reasonable state of repair - this could mean anything from not being structurally sound, to damp, rot and pest infestations. Another 88,000 privately rented homes failed the standard because they did not have suitable modern services and facilities, such as a working toilet. The Lib Dems are calling for a fairer deal for renters. This includes the immediate ban of no-fault evictions and a 10-year emergency home insulation programme with free insulation for people on low incomes, to protect the most vulnerable households. Energy spokesperson Pippa Heylings said: 'Everyone deserves to have a safe roof over their heads - but as these figures show this is far from the reality. 'The condition of rented homes is shameful. After years of Conservative failure to commit to upgrading homes and implementing new decent standards, renters now pay through the nose for homes that don't meet the basic standards of safety and health. This cannot continue. 'The government must commit to an emergency home insulation programme and urgently implement new decent home standards.' The Independent has contacted the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for comment. However, Ms Rayner is currently pushing through a new Renters' Rights Bill, which will end no-fault evictions with little notice and introduce a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. It also aims to enforce the Decent Homes Standard - which is currently the benchmark for social housing - in the private rented sector, give renters safer, better value homes, remove the blight of poor-quality homes in local communities, and strengthen local authority enforcement. An MHCLG spokesperson said: "Everyone deserves to live in a safe, secure home and despite the situation we have inherited, we are taking decisive action to make this a reality. 'That's why we will be consulting on a reformed Decent Homes Standard to boost housing quality in social and private rented homes.'
