Italy denies report of Israeli spyware contract termination

ROME/ISTANBUL

Italy’s government on Wednesday denied reports that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had terminated its contract with the country, rejecting media reports that suggested otherwise.

The spyware firm has been at the center of a controversy in Italy over allegations that its software, Graphite, was used to monitor journalists and activists. Reports had suggested Paragon severed ties with Italy in response to the growing scrutiny.

Addressing lawmakers in a parliamentary session, Minister for Parliamentary Relations Luca Ciriani dismissed these claims, emphasizing continued cooperation between Italian intelligence agencies and Paragon Solutions.

"Like all intelligence agencies in the world, the Italian services have for many years made use of tools such as those produced and supplied by the company Paragon Solutions in the name of national security in order to combat terrorist or criminal organizations," Ciriani said.

Refuting reports of a contract termination, he added: "It must be acknowledged that Paragon Solutions delivers its services with the utmost professionalism and seriousness. Contrary to recent claims, no contracts within the intelligence community have been terminated. All systems have been, and are, fully operational against those who threaten national security."

Ciriani also denied accusations that the government had ordered surveillance of journalists, warning that legal action could be pursued against those making such allegations.

WhatsApp warning over Israeli spyware

At the end of January, Meta’s messaging platform WhatsApp alerted nearly 90 journalists and civil society members that they may have been targeted by Graphite spyware, developed by Paragon Solutions.

Among those warned was Francesco Cancellato, editor-in-chief of the online investigative outlet Fanpage. On Jan. 31, he revealed receiving a WhatsApp alert about a cyberattack. Fanpage had previously reported on pro-fascist elements within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, Brothers of Italy, in June 2024.

Luca Casarini, founder of the humanitarian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, which conducts migrant rescue missions in the Mediterranean, also reported being targeted by the spyware.

The Italian Prime Minister’s Office acknowledged on Feb. 5 that seven Italian users had been identified as potential targets, and the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) had launched an investigation.

The ministry dismissed allegations of domestic surveillance, noting that affected users had also been identified in Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

On Feb. 6, The Guardian published a report alleging that Paragon Solutions had severed its contract with Italy.

Following the revelations, Mediterranea Saving Humans’ founder Casarini filed a legal complaint on Feb. 10, demanding an investigation into who authorized the surveillance against him.