The U.S., Feb 3rd. - WhatsApp, the instant messaging app owned by U.S. technology Meta, has denounced a cyber espionage campaign aimed at about 90 users, including journalists and activists, using software developed by the Israeli company Paragon Solutions.
The campaign, which was interrupted in December 2024, used spyware programs spyware to illegally access the devices of those affected, according to specialized media.
According to NBC News, WhatsApp noted that the campaign's goal was about 90 journalists and activists from about twenty countries, mainly from Europe, who have already been notified.
The company explained that Paragon used a vector, a method to infiltrate a network, possibly through chat groups in which a malicious PDF file was sent. However, WhatsApp has not been able to identify who contracted the attack.
According to the source, the app sent a letter to Paragon demanding that it cease its activities and does not rule out taking legal action, according to the US edition of The Guardian.
Among the victims is Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato, director of the Fanpage investigative media, who confirmed on Friday that he was notified by WhatsApp about the attack.
Our research indicates that you may have received a malicious file through WhatsApp and that the spyware may have led to your data access, including messages saved on the device, the notification sent by the social network said, according to a Cancellato translated article from Italian.
Paragon Solutions, the creator of the Graphite spy program, has its clients with government agencies and was recently acquired by the US investment group AE Industrial Partners.
On its website, the company describes itself as a "cyber defense" company that offers solutions – “based on ethics” - to “locate and analyze digital data, train digital workers and mitigate threats."
This incident highlights the risks faced by journalists and activists in the digital environment, as well as the growing sophistication of the cyber espionage tools available on the market.
WhatsApp has reiterated its commitment to the safety of its users and has urged Paragon to stop any activity that violates people's privacy, the source said. (Text and Photo: Cubadebate)