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WhatsApp reveals Israel's hacking of journalists' and media accounts

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, revealed that dozens of users were subjected to a hacking attempt by the Israeli company Paragon Solutions, which specializes in spyware, targeting journalists, media professionals, and members of civil society.

A WhatsApp official confirmed that the company had sent an official letter to Paragon asking it to stop the hacking operations, stressing that the application "will continue to defend users' right to communicate privately." He pointed out that the hack targeted about 90 users, without specifying their identities or locations, noting that WhatsApp succeeded in obstructing the infiltration attempt, and informed law enforcement agencies and sector partners of the incident.

Experts told The Guardian that the hack was likely a zero-click attack, which does not require the user to click on any links to become infected.

Spyware

John Scott-Railton, a researcher at the Citizen Lab digital security group, said the revelations underscore the continued proliferation of commercial spyware, noting that “the problematic use of these tools has become a recurring pattern.”

Companies like Paragon promote their software as security tools aimed at fighting crime and protecting national security, but there is ample evidence that similar software has been used to spy on journalists, activists, opposition politicians, and even US officials. Although Paragon markets itself as a company that only deals with “stable democratic countries,” WhatsApp’s revelations call into question its commitment to ethical standards, according to technology legal consultant Natalia Krapiva. “These violations are not just isolated incidents, but an inherent feature of the commercial spyware industry,” she said.

digital espionage

It is noteworthy that Israel is one of the most prominent centers for developing electronic espionage programs, as Unit 8200 of the Military Intelligence supervises many of these activities. In 2021, international reports revealed that the Pegasus program, developed by the Israeli company NSO, was used to spy on opponents, journalists, and politicians around the world, sparking a wave of international condemnation and concerns about the uncontrolled use of these technologies.

Source: Al Jazeera and Reuters