WhatsApp has stated that it is not yet clear who was behind the attack. However, it must be noted that Paragon's software, much like Pegasus, a spyware developed by the Israeli NSO Group, is typically used by government entities and agencies aiming to target specific individuals or groups.

According to the chat service, an Israeli company called Paragon Solutions used group chats and PDFs to target the individuals.

WhatsApp told TechCrunch that it believed the hacking campaign happened in December, and that it sent a cease and desist letter to Paragon. Idan Nurick, the CEO of Paragon, did not respond to a request for comment sent via LinkedIn. AE Industrial did not respond to a request for comment.

WhatsApp says it disrupted a spyware campaign last month that targeted journalists and civil society members, according to reports from The Guardian and Reuters. The campaign originated from an Israeli spyware company called Paragon Solutions and impacted around 90 users.

Nearly 100 journalists and other members of civil society using WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta, were targeted by spyware owned by Paragon Solutions, an Israeli maker of hacking software, the company alleged today. The journalists and other civil society… pic.twitter.com/AiFfyJX08y — TheMuslimLawyer (@faisalkutty) January 31, 2025

The spyware allegedly came from an Israeli company called Paragon Solutions and targeted select users in over two dozen countries, WhatsApp says.

WhatsApp says that civil society workers and journalists on its platform were the targets of hacks by the Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions.

Meta Platforms Inc.’s WhatsApp messenger service said it disrupted a hacking campaign linked to Israeli spyware firm Paragon.

WASHINGTON >> An official with Meta Platforms’ popular WhatsApp chat service said Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted scores of its users, including journalists and members of civil society.

A senior executive at chat service WhatsApp alleged that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions attempted to breach the devices of 90 users including journalists, "Reuters" reports. Paragon declined to comment on the report.

By Raphael Satter WASHINGTON (Reuters) -An official with Meta Platforms' popular WhatsApp chat service said Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted scores of its users, including journalists and members of civil society.