Spyware Manufacturer Paragon Accuses Italian Government of Refusing Help in Journalist Surveillance Investigation
In a bold move, spyware developer Paragon has publicly accused the Italian government of blocking its efforts to investigate whether a journalist was targeted using its technology. The company claims that Italy’s authorities declined an offer to verify if its spyware was used unlawfully against the journalist, prompting Paragon to sever its ties with Italian government clients.
According to a statement first reported by Haaretz, Paragon explained, “The company offered both the Italian government and parliament a way to determine whether its system had been used against the journalist in violation of Italian law and contractual terms. As the Italian authorities chose not to proceed with this solution, Paragon terminated its contracts in Italy.” Paragon confirmed the accuracy of this statement to TechCrunch. When approached for comment, its executive chairman, John Fleming, deferred media inquiries to the statements made in the Haaretz report.
This marks a significant moment in the spyware industry — the first time a provider has publicly acknowledged ending a customer relationship due to abuse concerns.
The controversy ties back to a scandal that erupted earlier this year when WhatsApp revealed a widespread hacking campaign targeting its users. The messaging platform reported that approximately 90 individuals received spyware alerts, many linked to Paragon. Notably, Paragon was co-founded by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The company has a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has marketed itself as a more responsible vendor compared to its predecessors in the surveillance industry.
One of the key figures involved is Francesco Cancellato, a journalist from the news website Fanpage, who was the first to publicly disclose receiving a WhatsApp spyware alert. Paragon’s statement references him as the journalist targeted by the spyware.
The timing of Paragon’s statement follows a report by Italy’s parliamentary committee, COPASIR, which investigated the spyware incident. The committee found no evidence that Cancellato was targeted by Italy’s intelligence agencies, AISI and AISE — both of which are clients of Paragon.
However, shortly after Haaretz published Paragon’s claims, the Italian government dismissed them, stating that the decision to suspend and ultimately terminate the contract with Paragon was a mutual one. Sources cited by Italian news agency ANSA explained that Italy’s Department of Information for Security (DIS) refused Paragon’s assistance in examining the logs of the AISE and AISI’s Graphite spyware systems. Officials reportedly feared that sharing access could compromise sensitive national security data and damage Italy’s reputation among international intelligence peers.
Neither COPASIR nor the Italian government responded to requests for comment. In a video posted on Fanpage, Francesco Cancellato challenged Paragon’s account, asking, “Who is lying — COPASIR or Paragon?” He called for the company to officially disclose who targeted him, emphasizing, “They say they can find out. We want to know once and for all.”
Further complicating the situation, Cancellato revealed that fellow journalist Ciro Pellegrino received an Apple notification indicating he was targeted with government spyware, although COPASIR’s report did not mention his case. On the other hand, the committee confirmed that other individuals, including Luca Casarini and Giuseppe Caccia of Mediterranea Saving Humans, and David Yambio of Refugees in Libya, were lawfully investigated due to their activities related to illegal immigration.
COPASIR indicated it is willing to declassify details from its April 9 hearing with Paragon representatives to clarify its findings. The committee expressed surprise over Paragon’s public statements, emphasizing the ongoing importance of transparency in these sensitive investigations.
As the spyware scandal continues to unfold, questions remain about the extent of government involvement and the responsibilities of private surveillance vendors in safeguarding civil liberties. This developing story highlights the complex intersection of technology, national security, and human rights.
