Tech Beetle briefing GB

Italian Founder of Migrant Rescue NGO Targeted with Military-Grade Spyware

Essential brief

Key facts

Luca Casarini, an Italian migrant rescue NGO founder, was targeted by military-grade spyware from Paragon Solutions.

Around 90 journalists and activists globally were likely hacked via Paragon’s spyware, which infiltrates phones without user action.

The Italian government denies involvement but has launched a cybersecurity investigation amid allegations.

Paragon sells spyware only to governments but faces scrutiny over contracts and use against civil society.

The incident raises concerns about surveillance targeting activists critical of government migration policies.

Highlights

Luca Casarini, an Italian migrant rescue NGO founder, was targeted by military-grade spyware from Paragon Solutions.

Around 90 journalists and activists globally were likely hacked via Paragon’s spyware, which infiltrates phones without user action.

The Italian government denies involvement but has launched a cybersecurity investigation amid allegations.

Paragon sells spyware only to governments but faces scrutiny over contracts and use against civil society.

Luca Casarini, founder of the NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, has revealed that his mobile phone was targeted by military-grade spyware developed by the Israel-based company Paragon Solutions.

Casarini, a vocal critic of Italy’s alleged role in abuses against migrants in Libya, was informed by WhatsApp that he was among approximately 90 individuals worldwide, including journalists and activists, who were likely hacked using Paragon’s spyware.

The spyware, known as Graphite, can infiltrate phones without user interaction, accessing all data including encrypted messages on apps like Signal and WhatsApp.

Casarini’s organization is credited with saving around 2,000 migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Italy.

Along with Casarini, other known targets include journalist Francesco Cancellato and Libyan activist Husam El Gomati, all critical of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The Italian government has neither confirmed nor denied being a client of Paragon, though Meloni’s office has denied involvement by domestic intelligence and ordered a cybersecurity investigation.

The national cybersecurity agency (ACN) reported seven Italian users affected, with others from various European countries.

Paragon sells its spyware exclusively to government agencies, claiming to serve democratic nations, but has faced scrutiny over a suspended $2 million contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to security concerns.

The spyware’s use raises significant questions about surveillance targeting civil society figures critical of government policies, particularly regarding migration.

Casarini described the attacks as a "war against solidarity and activism" and expressed determination to organize defenses against authoritarian surveillance.

The case highlights broader concerns about the use of advanced spyware against activists and the opaque nature of government surveillance programs.

WhatsApp discovered and halted the targeting in December, but the full extent and duration of the surveillance remain unknown.