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Italy admits hacking activists with Israeli spyware Paragon (www.haaretz.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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An Italian parliamentary committee has confirmed that the government used the Israeli-made spyware Graphite, developed by the offensive cyber company Paragon, to hack the smartphones of several activists working with migrants.

The committee confirmed that Paragon provided Graphite to two Italian agencies, including the country's external intelligence service, starting in 2023. The version of Graphite provided did not include the ability to activate the phone's microphone or camera, the report said. Instead, it only enabled its operators access to encrypted communications on the hacked devices.

The report also confirmed that Graphite exploited a vulnerability in WhatsApp that Meta identified and patched in December 2024, one month before the spyware's activity was publicly disclosed. The vulnerability's discovery also caused "panic" at Israel's military intelligence Unit 8200, according to the recent Israeli television report.

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[-] Samsuma@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago

You’re taking the USA as an example

So? How is it not comparable to other Western countries? The original post already fucking exemplifies why censorship is a staple of the West, not just the US. Swear to god libs like you don't actually have an argument to make and resort to moving goalposts to make up for it:

https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/09/07/protonmail-criticised-for-passing-arrested-french-climate-activist-s-ip-address-to-police

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/french-mayor-bans-palestine-flag-protests-after-psg-victory-incidents

etc. etc.

Sure, it is, but my point is that it’s less restricted.

And that point is pointless because "less" restrictions only apply to small groups of people.

That’s just a massive lie. Notice how organized groups like the AfD, the National Rally, Renaissance etc.. still exist but any smaller scale organization of people that threatens imperialism get squashed ASAP:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/richard-medhurst

https://electronicintifada.net/content/switzerland-deports-eis-ali-abunimah/50337

https://www.newarab.com/news/pro-palestine-supporters-losing-jobs-over-gaza-solidarity

https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/05/14/legal-group-reveals-extent-of-anti-palestinian-repression-across-germany/

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/tufts-university-student-detained-pro-palestine-views-transferred-louisiana

https://www.commondreams.org/news/ice-warrant-mahmoud-khalil

Saying such things as “bad arabs/muslims are dirty terrorist scum and need to be wiped off the map these russian orcs need to be wiped off the planet” would clearly get you in trouble

[citations needed]. I assure you that the most "trouble" libs faced was a slap on the wrist.

🤣 thanks for exposing yourself as nothing but a vibes-based liberal. Hasn't even produced a single shred of evidence either.

this post was submitted on 05 Jun 2025

347 points (97.5% liked)

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