WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform owned by Meta, has reported that accounts of users from around the world (two dozen countries) have been targeted by an Israeli spyware company, Paragon Solutions. Meta officials revealed that this new attack follows previous reports of similar hacking incidents involving Israeli spyware companies. Meta has also issued a cease-and-desist letter to Paragon Solutions, calling for an immediate halt to their operations.
Meta's assurance to users
In their statement, Meta officials reassured users that they are working hard to protect the privacy of their accounts and to safeguard communications on the platform. Despite the attacks, Meta insists it will continue its efforts to ensure users can communicate privately without external interference.
90 Users targeted in multi-country spyware attack
The attack affected around 90 users from two dozen countries, primarily journalists and members of civil society. However, Meta has yet to reveal any specific details about the users targeted. According to WhatsApp, the spyware was sent to these individuals in the form of electronic documents containing the malicious software, without any direct interaction between the hackers and the targets.
The majority of the victims of this attack are located in Europe, but the exact list of affected countries has not been disclosed. Meta claims that it was able to interrupt the attack midway, although the company did not explain how it pinpointed Paragon as the source of the hacking attempt.
Paragon's silence and the growing surveillance concerns
As of now, Paragon Solutions has not responded to the claims. According to Citizen Labs, a Canada-based internet watchdog group, Paragon is known to sell advanced surveillance software to governments for national security and crime prevention. However, the use of such tools to target journalists and civil society members raises significant concerns.
This latest incident follows the controversial use of another Israeli spyware company, Pegasus, which made headlines for hacking WhatsApp accounts of journalists and human rights activists in the past. The ongoing issue highlights the ethical concerns surrounding the sale and use of spyware tools to invade the privacy of individuals, particularly those in the media and civil society.
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