Meta's WhatsApp Accuses Israeli Spyware Firm Paragon of Targeting Users Across 24 Countries

Meta Platforms' popular messaging service WhatsApp has accused Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions of targeting around 90 of its users in a sophisticated hacking campaign that spanned over two dozen countries, according to a company official. The targeted individuals reportedly include journalists and members of civil society, raising concerns over the increasing misuse of spyware against vulnerable groups.

WhatsApp disclosed on Friday that it had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist letter after detecting the hack. In a statement, the company affirmed its commitment to user privacy: “We will continue to protect people's ability to communicate privately.”

The hacking attempt involved malicious electronic documents delivered through WhatsApp, exploiting a “zero-click” vulnerability—meaning the targets didn’t need to interact with the document for their devices to be compromised. Zero-click exploits are particularly alarming because they leave minimal traces, making detection and defense challenging.

While WhatsApp did not disclose specific details about the victims or how it attributed the attack to Paragon, it confirmed that individuals across Europe and other regions were affected. The company stated it had successfully disrupted the hacking operation and referred affected users to Citizen Lab, a Canadian internet watchdog renowned for investigating state-sponsored cyber threats.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, commented on the situation: “The discovery of Paragon spyware targeting WhatsApp users is a reminder that mercenary spyware continues to proliferate, and as it does, we continue to see familiar patterns of problematic use.”

The incident has been reported to law enforcement and industry partners, though WhatsApp declined to provide further details. The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment.

This revelation comes amid growing global scrutiny of commercial spyware vendors and their role in enabling surveillance abuses. It underscores the urgent need for stronger international regulations to prevent the misuse of advanced surveillance technologies against journalists, activists, and other vulnerable communities.