Researchers Confirm Two Journalists Were Hacked With Paragon Spyware (techcrunch.com) 26
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Two European journalists were hacked using government spyware made by Israeli surveillance tech provider Paragon, new research has confirmed. On Thursday, digital rights group The Citizen Lab published a new report detailing the results of a new forensic investigation into the iPhones of Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino and an unnamed "prominent" European journalist. The researchers said both journalists were hacked by the same Paragon customer, based on evidence found on the two journalists' devices.
Until now, there was no evidence that Pellegrino, who works for online news website Fanpage, had been either targeted or hacked with Paragon spyware. When he was alerted by Apple at the end of April, the notification referred to a mercenary spyware attack, but did not specifically mention Paragon, nor whether his phone had been infected with the spyware. The confirmation of the first-ever known Paragon infections further deepens an ongoing spyware scandal that, for now, appears to be mostly focused on the use of spyware by the Italian government, but could expand to include other countries in Europe.
These new revelations come months after WhatsApp first notified around 90 of its users in over two dozen countries in Europe and beyond, including journalists, that they had been targeted with Paragon spyware, known as Graphite. Among those targeted were several Italians, including Pellegrino's colleague and Fanpage director Francesco Cancellato, as well as nonprofit workers who help rescue migrants at sea. Last week, Italy's parliamentary committee known as COPASIR, which oversees the country's intelligence agencies' activities, published a report (PDF) that said it found no evidence that Cancellato was spied on. The report, which confirmed that Italy's internal and external intelligence agencies AISI and AISE were Paragon customers, made no mention of Pellegrino. The Citizen Lab's new report puts into question COPASIR's conclusions.
Until now, there was no evidence that Pellegrino, who works for online news website Fanpage, had been either targeted or hacked with Paragon spyware. When he was alerted by Apple at the end of April, the notification referred to a mercenary spyware attack, but did not specifically mention Paragon, nor whether his phone had been infected with the spyware. The confirmation of the first-ever known Paragon infections further deepens an ongoing spyware scandal that, for now, appears to be mostly focused on the use of spyware by the Italian government, but could expand to include other countries in Europe.
These new revelations come months after WhatsApp first notified around 90 of its users in over two dozen countries in Europe and beyond, including journalists, that they had been targeted with Paragon spyware, known as Graphite. Among those targeted were several Italians, including Pellegrino's colleague and Fanpage director Francesco Cancellato, as well as nonprofit workers who help rescue migrants at sea. Last week, Italy's parliamentary committee known as COPASIR, which oversees the country's intelligence agencies' activities, published a report (PDF) that said it found no evidence that Cancellato was spied on. The report, which confirmed that Italy's internal and external intelligence agencies AISI and AISE were Paragon customers, made no mention of Pellegrino. The Citizen Lab's new report puts into question COPASIR's conclusions.
Confusing name (Score:5, Funny)
Don't confuse C.Pellegrino with S.Pellegrino
They taste completely different.
Israel: And? (Score:5, Insightful)
The Israeli government: You're worried about spyware? Normally, we just kill journalists and their families.
https://www.theguardian.com/gl... [theguardian.com]
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There is no future for this planet unless (Score:5, Funny)
End Game? (Score:4, Interesting)
One has to wonder what the Israeli government's end game is. Not just in Gaza, or the West Bank, but in its military threats to Syria and now its attack on Iran.
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No need to wonder, they haven't exactly been shy about discussing it publicly.
They want to build a Greater Israel, which includes parts of Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and more. It's based on Theodor Herzl's original plan for a Jewish ethnostate.
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They want to build a Greater Israel, which includes parts of Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and more. It's based on ...
The armpit of the planet, who in their right mind would want to live there. OH, right holy rocks, walls, and towns supported by invisible sky faires. For fifty years I've wondered who or what could bring peace to the middle east, well the answer is NOBODY. The only logical answers left are to vacate everyone from Israel*, or give all those countries nukes.
After fifty years they all have blood on their hands, just end this already. Maybe Chrump could turn it into a golf course, or a shiny glass parking l
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"The armpit of the planet"
This was almost certainly posted from a country that is actively eating itself, replacing its information workers with AI and filing its farm and service workers into concentration camps by way of masked gestapo that you likely also support with racist pride. This same country has drained itself while trying its hardest to make Syria and Iraq unliveable on behalf of a foreigtn power, and has propped up the Saudi Arabian government as it serves to repress the entire arab world.
Your
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Actually pretty simple. Berlusconi gives the playbook: Stay in office as long as possible, because otherwise prison waits. For Israel, that means keeping in a state of war, hence the new activities in that direction. I do not think it really goes beyond that anymore at this time. They obviously cannot win any of the wars they started. But they can continue to keep them active. And civilians (on whatever side) be damned.
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Israel is a rogue state, akin to North Korea and Russia. State sponsored terrorism, genocide, hacking for profit, harbouring sex offenders accused of having hundreds of child victims, apartheid, violent crack-downs on protesters... There isn't a box they don't tick.
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The height of anti-semitism is conflating Israel with the Jewish identity. In fact Israeli police regularly violently attack ultra orthodox Jews who oppose what the government is doing. It really is a blood libel.
The ICJ ruled that what Israel is doing is prima facie genocide. In due course I'm sure they will issue an expanded ruling. Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes against the Palestinian people. Courts have looked at these issues, the evidence is compelling.
Re:There is no future for this planet unless (Score:4, Informative)
Why did he get modded troll?
He is completely right.
A Palestinian journalist got her house bombed 2 weeks ago after she got an European journalism price. All dead.
A week ago a father of 20 kids, got killed together with 19 of his kids. At his home. He just came back from hospital, he is a doctor. His wife had a different shift, so she stayed in hospital: and survived.
Greta Thunbergs sailing boat got captured a few days ago, with a crew of close to 20.
Israeli: Hitlers best students.
Inexplicable how iPhones are so easily bugged :o (Score:3, Interesting)
The Mystery of CVE-2023-38606 [grc.com]
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Or companies like Paragon pay enough to poach the right people.
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Re: Inexplicable how iPhones are so easily bugged (Score:2)
Inexplicable doesn't mean intentional, right?
Italy? (Score:2)
Business as usual!