WhatsApp users targeted by Israeli spyware, report

A Meta official on Saturday revealed that WhatsApp users were targeted by Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions.

Members of civil society and journalists were also targeted by the spy company, he confirmed.

WhatsApp responding to the revelation said the company “will continue to protect people’s ability to communicate privately.”

Meanwhile, Paragon declined to comment.

The WhatsApp official told Reuters it had detected an effort to hack approximately 90 users of its platform.

The Chat app giant declined to reveal specifically who was targets or where they were geographically.

He said WhatsApp had since disrupted the hacking effort and was referring targets to Canadian internet watchdog group Citizen Lab.

The official also declined to discuss how it ascertained the Paragon was responsible for the hack.

He added that law enforcement and industry partners had been informed, but declined to go into detail.

The FBI did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Spyware merchants such as Paragon sell high-end surveillance software to government clients and typically pitch their services as critical to fighting crime and protecting national security.