Francesco Cancellato was targeted in a journalist spyware attack after exposing far-right ties in Meloni’s party. WhatsApp detected the spyware, raising concerns over press freedom and surveillance.
Francesco Cancellato Calls Attack a Violation of Press Freedom
Investigative journalist Francesco Cancellato was targeted by Israeli spyware after exposing far-right extremism in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party. A WhatsApp notification alerted him that his phone may have been compromised.
Cancellato, editor-in-chief of Fanpage, was the first to go public after WhatsApp revealed that at least 90 journalists and civil society figures had been targeted. The attack affected users in more than 24 countries, including several in Europe.
Spyware Exploited WhatsApp to Monitor Targets
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, detected Paragon’s spyware in December and quickly blocked the vulnerability. The spyware, called Graphite, is sold to government agencies but has been misused to monitor journalists.
Paragon’s malware was allegedly delivered through PDF files in unauthorized group chats. Victims did not need to click anything for their phones to be infected.
It remains unclear how long Cancellato’s phone was compromised. However, the attack follows his 2023 investigation into Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party. His reporters exposed members performing Nazi salutes, chanting fascist slogans, and spreading antisemitic rhetoric.
EU Officials Condemn Surveillance of Journalists
Cancellato, 45, said he was unaware of any surveillance and felt violated. He has started a technical analysis to determine what was accessed.
His investigation caused backlash in Italy and the EU. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned fascist symbolism as “morally wrong”. The Jewish Community of Rome demanded a strong response.
Brothers of Italy MP Giovanni Donzelli claimed his party has no place for extremists. However, the spyware attack raises concerns over press freedom and the misuse of surveillance technology.