Tech News FYP

Almost 100 journalists and members of civil society who utilize WhatsApp, the widely-used messaging platform owned by Meta, have reportedly been targeted by spyware developed by Paragon, an Israeli hacking software company, as alleged in a recent statement. According to a report, these individuals received alerts regarding potential breaches of their devices. WhatsApp has conveyed to the Guardian that it possesses “high confidence” in the assertion that the users in question were specifically targeted and possibly compromised in this incident.

While WhatsApp has not disclosed the locations of these journalists and civil society members, including whether any are based in the United States, the company has taken proactive measures. It has sent a “cease and desist” letter to Paragon and is currently exploring its legal options in response to this situation. Furthermore, WhatsApp indicated that the purported attacks were disrupted in December, although it remains unclear how long these individuals may have been at risk.