Seven targeted by WhatsApp spyware attack in Italy

Italy Probes WhatsApp Spyware Targeting Journalists and Activists

WASHINGTON: The Italian government confirmed on Wednesday that seven mobile phone users in the country had been targeted by spyware on Meta Platforms' WhatsApp messaging service, calling the breach "particularly serious."

Following reports that a journalist and a prominent migrant rescue activist were among those targeted, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office announced that it had asked the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) to investigate while denying any government involvement.

Spyware Targeting in Italy

Luca Casarini, co-founder of the Mediterranea Saving Humans charity, shared with Reuters the spyware alert he received from WhatsApp on Friday—the same day Meta publicly accused surveillance firm Paragon Solutions of targeting around 90 users across more than two dozen countries. The list reportedly includes journalists and activists.

According to Meloni's office, WhatsApp informed ACN—via a legal representative—of seven confirmed cases in Italy. However, the names of those affected were not disclosed "to protect their privacy."

Spyware was also detected among WhatsApp users in other European Union countries, including Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

Meta vs. Paragon Solutions

Meta’s announcement, which included a cease-and-desist letter to Paragon, alleged that the company—reportedly American-owned—attempted to steal user data through a sophisticated "zero-click" hack, which does not require any interaction from the target.

Meta declined to comment on Casarini's case, while Paragon and its owner, Florida-based AE Industrial Partners, did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Potential Political Motives?

Casarini, whose charity rescues migrants in the Mediterranean, has faced criticism from anti-migrant, pro-government media in Italy. He has previously been prosecuted for allegedly aiding illegal immigration and confirmed that his communications had been intercepted in relation to that case. However, he said he did not know who was behind the latest attempt to breach his phone or whether it had judicial authorization.

"It's a violation of democracy," Casarini said.

His revelation follows Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato’s admission that he, too, had received a WhatsApp alert on Friday. Cancellato, editor of Fanpage, said his publication specializes in undercover investigations, including a recent exposé on Meloni’s youth wing, where members were recorded calling themselves fascists and shouting the Nazi slogan "Sieg Heil."

Cancellato expressed shock at the hacking attempt but stated he would reserve judgment on the perpetrators until his newspaper completed its own investigation.