WhatsApp Reveals Paragon Spyware Attacks On Users In Dozens Of Countries

WhatsApp stated that it had succeeded in thwarting cyber attacks. (photo: x @MahRabie)

JAKARTA Meta's popular messaging service WhatsApp revealed that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions has targeted dozens of its users, including journalists and members of civil society in more than two dozen countries.

A WhatsApp official on Friday, January 31, said the company had sent a cese-and-desist order to Paragon after detecting cyberattacks against about 90 of its users. In its official statement, WhatsApp confirmed that it will continue to protect the privacy rights of its users' communications.

Paragon Solutions itself declined to comment on the allegations.

According to WhatsApp officials, the victims who were targeted were spread across more than two dozen countries, including several people in Europe. WhatsApp users are attacked via malicious electronic documents that do not require interaction from users to infect their devices, a technique known as the zero-click hack. This technique is known to be very sophisticated and difficult to detect.

WhatsApp stated that it had succeeded in thwarting the attack and had referred the victims to Citizen Lab, an internet surveillance group from Canada. However, WhatsApp was reluctant to reveal how they concluded that Paragon was responsible for the attack. WhatsApp officials also mentioned that they had notified law enforcement officials and related industry partners, but declined to provide further details.

Citizen Lab itself has warned that commercial spyware such as the one Paragon uses continues to develop and is often used unethically. John Scott-Railton, a researcher at Citizen Lab, said the latest findings suggest patterns of abuse that have occurred frequently in the spyware industry.

Spyware companies such as Paragon sell high-level surveillance software to government clients, under the pretext of helping eradicate crime and maintaining national security. However, this kind of tool has repeatedly been found on devices belonging to journalists, activists, opposition politicians, even at least 50 US officials, raising concerns over the spread of uncontrolled surveillance technology.

Paragon, reportedly recently acquired by Florida-based investment firm AE Industrial Partners, seeks to position itself as one of the more responsible players in the industry. Their website claims that their products are ethically based and are only sold to governments in stable democracies.

However, Natalia Krapiva, senior legal adviser at Access Now, said the claims were doubtful following the disclosure of WhatsApp. "Paragon has a reputation as a more responsible spyware company, but recent findings from WhatsApp suggest otherwise," he said.

According to Krapiva, this issue is not only about some companies abusing technology, but reflects the entire commercial spyware industry that poses a great risk to human rights and civil liberties.

AE Industrial Partners has yet to comment on allegations against Paragon