Paragon Said to Be Uncooperative With Italian Spyware Investigation

Israeli-American surveillance technology maker Paragon Solutions has not responded to formal requests for information from Italian prosecutors investigating a spyware scandal that targeted journalists and activists, according to a report from Wired Italy. Last year, WhatsApp and Apple notified several people in Italy that they had been targeted with government spyware. WhatsApp identified Paragon as the provider of the technology used in a campaign that targeted around 90 people worldwide with its "Graphite" spyware. The notifications prompted victims to file criminal complaints, leading prosecutors to open an investigation. Despite previously promising to help Italian authorities determine what happened, Paragon has reportedly not responded to a formal request for information sent via the Israeli government. A year after the investigations began, the company has yet to reply. The scandal has also entangled Italian intelligence services. In December, the parliamentary committee COPASIR concluded that the hacking of the activists was lawful but said it could not find evidence that journalist Lorenzo Cancellato was targeted. The committee did not investigate journalist Francesco Pellegrino's case. In March, the same prosecutors said a forensic investigation into Cancellato's device confirmed his phone had indeed been hacked. The investigation is still ongoing.