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On June 12, 2025, alarming news emerged about the use of sophisticated spyware against journalists in Europe. Researchers from the Citizen Lab discovered ‘digital fingerprints’ indicating that an Israeli company, Paragon Solutions, had produced the spyware, known as Graphite. This software was detected on the mobile devices of two Italian journalists, Francesco Cancellato and Ciro Pellegrino. Cancellato works for an outlet critical of the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni’s administration, while Pellegrino leads the Naples office of the investigative news platform Fanpage.it. Additionally, a third journalist, who preferred anonymity, was also targeted.
The Italian government confirmed it had employed Paragon’s spyware previously against activists involved in pro-immigrant campaigns. Although its use was sanctioned by a prosecutor for investigating serious crimes like terrorism and organized crime, the targeting of journalists has sparked concerns about potential misuse of power and the infringement on press freedom.
Amidst public outcry, Paragon proposed to assist in probing the attacks on journalists but was declined by Italy for national security reasons. As a result, Paragon ended its contract with Italy. The Italian government has yet to respond to recent queries but a discussion on the matter is planned for the European Parliament.
Evidence suggests that the same entity may have orchestrated the attacks on both journalists, although the perpetrator remains unidentified. This developing situation has provoked a strong reaction from the Italian opposition and European parliament members, raising profound questions about individual privacy and the ethical application of surveillance technologies meant for criminal prevention and investigation.