Paragon Spyware Maker Confirms Selling to the US Government and Allied Nations

• Israeli spyware maker Paragon confirmed U.S. government ties amid allegations of targeting civil society.
• The company admitted to selling its surveillance technology to the U.S. and allied nations and said misuse is prohibited.
• Paragon says it has a "zero-tolerance policy" that implies terminating contracts found in breach of the rules.

Israeli spyware manufacturer Paragon Solutions has confirmed that it sells its surveillance technology to the U.S. government and allied nations amid growing international scrutiny. However, it also said customers must adhere to strict terms and conditions.

Paragon’s executive chairman, John Fleming, stated that the company licenses its services exclusively to "a select group of global democracies—principally the United States and its allies."

Fleming emphasized Paragon’s "zero-tolerance policy" for misuse, with contracts swiftly terminated for any customer who breached the rules and illicitly targeted journalists or civil society figures. 

However, Fleming declined to elaborate on how misuse is monitored or investigated, raising questions about the enforcement and oversight of these policies.

The spotlight on Paragon comes after WhatsApp accused the company’s surveillance tools of being leveraged in a hacking campaign targeting approximately 90 journalists and civil society members globally. 

Among the alleged targets are Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato, editor of the news site Fanpage.it, and Sweden-based Libyan activist Husam El Gomati. Paragon has not publicly responded to these specific allegations.

Cancellato's Fanpage.it had conducted a high-profile investigation into the youth wing of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia party, led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The undercover exposé revealed members using racist and antisemitic slurs and glorifying Mussolini, leading to backlash from opposition parties. 

These details raise significant questions about whether work critical of certain political entities may contribute to surveillance targeting.

When asked about the alleged misuse of its technologies, Fleming sidestepped inquiries regarding the specifics of Paragon’s enforcement mechanisms, the definition of "global democracies," and whether contracts have been terminated in the past due to violations. 

This is not the first instance of Paragon’s tools facing scrutiny. Documents obtained by Wired last year revealed a $2 million U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract with Paragon’s American subsidiary. 

Paragon declined to comment at the time, and its partner, AE Industrial—which had bid to purchase Paragon for roughly $900 million—also refrained from commenting on the ongoing controversy.

WhatsApp has formally sent a cease-and-desist letter to Paragon regarding the allegations of spyware misuse. Fleming has similarly declined to comment on this legal move.