Meta-Owned WhatsApp Accuses Spyware Company Paragon Of Targeting Users In Two Dozen Countries

WhatsApp has since taken action to disrupt the hacking attempt and is working with Citizen Lab, a Canadian internet watchdog group, to assist the affected users.

Companies like Paragon develop and sell advanced surveillance software to government agencies, often promoting their products as essential for combating crime and safeguarding national security.

Source : Unsplash/Dima Solomin

WhatsApp has admitted that the Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted a number of users including journalists and members of civil society. An official with Meta's WhatsApp said that the instant messaging platform had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist letter after the hack. WhatsApp in a statement, said, we "will continue to protect people's ability to communicate privately."

A WhatsApp spokesperson informed Reuters that the company identified an attempt to hack around 90 users. While the officials did not disclose specific targets, they confirmed that individuals across more than two dozen countries, including several in Europe, were affected. The attack involved the distribution of malicious electronic documents that exploited a zero-click vulnerability—meaning the hack required no user interaction, making it particularly difficult to detect.

WhatsApp has since taken action to disrupt the hacking attempt and is working with Citizen Lab, a Canadian internet watchdog group, to assist the affected users. Although the spokesperson did not elaborate on how the company linked the attack to Paragon, they confirmed that law enforcement agencies and industry partners had been notified. However, no further details were provided. The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton while talking about the discovery of Paragon spyware said that this "is a reminder that mercenary spyware continues to proliferate and as it does, so we continue to see familiar patterns of problematic use."

Paragon: What Do We Know?

Companies like Paragon develop and sell advanced surveillance software to government agencies, often promoting their products as essential for combating crime and safeguarding national security. However, these powerful spying tools have frequently been found on the devices of journalists, activists, opposition leaders, and even at least 50 U.S. officials, raising serious concerns about the unregulated spread of such technology.

Paragon, which was reportedly acquired by Florida-based investment firm AE Industrial Partners last month, has attempted to present itself as a more responsible player in the industry.

The company's website highlights "ethically based tools, teams, and insights to disrupt intractable threats," while reports citing sources familiar with its operations claim that Paragon limits its sales to governments in stable democratic nations. Despite this, Natalia Krapiva, senior tech-legal counsel at advocacy group Access Now, noted that Paragon had a reputation for being a more ethical spyware provider, "but WhatsApp's recent revelations suggest otherwise."