Attempts to censor opposition voices are not new. Since the advent of new media, few Governments and nations have used spyware to keep tabs on the public, and sometimes target individuals that the government considers a threat. All this is done under the guise of national security, but in a few cases, it is aimed to suppress opposition and is a breach of privacy.
Zero-click Spyware for WhatsApp
One such interesting incident is the recent WhatsApp “zero-click” hacking incident. In a conversation with Reuters, a WhatsApp official disclosed that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions was targeting its users, victims include journalists and civil society members. Earlier this week, the official told Reuters that Whatsapp had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist notice after the surveillance hack. In its official statement, WhatsApp stressed it will “continue to protect people's ability to communicate privately."
Paragon refused to comment
According to Reuters, WhatsApp had noticed an attempt to hack around 90 users. The official didn’t disclose the identity of the targets but hinted that the victims belonged to more than a dozen countries, mostly from Europe. WhatsApp users were sent infected files that didn’t require any user interaction to hack their targets, the technique is called the “zero-click” hack, known for its stealth
“The official said WhatsApp had since disrupted the hacking effort and was referring targets to Canadian internet watchdog group Citizen Lab,” Reuter reports. He didn’t discuss how it was decided that Paragon was the culprit but added that law enforcement agencies and industry partners had been notified, and didn’t give any further details.
FBI didn’t respond immediately
“The FBI did not immediately return a message seeking comment,” Reuter said. Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton said the finding of Paragon spyware attacking WhatsApp is a “reminder that mercenary spyware continues to proliferate and as it does, so we continue to see familiar patterns of problematic use."
Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton said the discovery of Paragon spyware targeting WhatsApp users "is a reminder that mercenary spyware continues to proliferate and as it does, so we continue to see familiar patterns of problematic use."
Ethical implications concerning spying software
Spyware businesses like Paragaon trade advanced surveillance software to government clients, and project their services as “critical to fighting crime and protecting national security,” Reuter mentions. However, history suggests that such surveillance tools have largely been used for spying, and in this case- journalists, activists, opposition politicians, and around 50 U.S officials. This raises questions about the lawless use of technology.
Paragon - which was reportedly acquired by Florida-based investment group AE Industrial Partners last month - has tried to position itself publicly as one of the industry's more responsible players. On its website, Paragon advertises the software as “ethically based tools, teams, and insights to disrupt intractable threats” On its website, and media reports mentioning people acquainted with the company “say Paragon only sells to governments in stable democratic countries,” Reuter mentions.
