An Italian investigative journalist who exposed links between youth members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right party and extremist ideologies has become the target of Israeli spyware. Francesco Cancellato, the editor-in-chief of the Italian investigative outlet Fanpage, was notified by WhatsApp about the spyware attack on his phone.
Cancellato’s case was publicly revealed after WhatsApp disclosed on Friday that 90 journalists and civil society members had been targeted by spyware made by Israeli company Paragon Solutions. The spyware, known as Graphite, was delivered to targets through group chats or malicious PDFs, meaning victims didn’t have to click any links for their devices to be compromised.
WhatsApp’s parent company Meta confirmed the spyware targeted users from over two dozen countries, including several European nations. In December, the app identified and shut down the vector that delivered the spyware to these individuals.
Cancellato, known for his investigative work exposing far-right groups within Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, had uncovered how members of the party’s youth wing engaged in fascist chants, Nazi salutes, and antisemitic comments. His reports, published last May, caused significant uproar in Italy and across Europe. The reports also highlighted the group’s connections to historical figures tied to neo-fascism.
Cancellato reported receiving the WhatsApp notification about the spyware on Friday. He admitted feeling “violated” by the intrusion and stated that his team had started analyzing his device to understand the scope of the attack. He also expressed concern about the potential misuse of the surveillance for political purposes.
The spyware attack highlights growing concerns about digital surveillance and the use of technology to monitor journalists and activists. Paragon Solutions, the Israeli company behind the spyware, typically markets its products to government agencies for crime prevention, but there have been ongoing questions about the potential for misuse. Although WhatsApp took immediate action, the long-term effects of these types of attacks on press freedom and privacy remain uncertain.
In the wake of this incident, there have been calls for greater oversight of spyware companies and for stronger protections for journalists. Authorities are urged to investigate not only the methods used to deploy the spyware but also who ordered the surveillance on Cancellato.
The case underscores the vulnerability of journalists and activists in the digital age, where surveillance technologies can be used to monitor and silence those who challenge political power. It also raises broader questions about the intersection of technology, politics, and human rights.
