Italian activists and journalist targeted by spyware in 2024, prosecutors confirm

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington and Angela Giuffrida in RomeMarch 6, 2026 at 01:10 PM

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medium article 3 min

Italian prosecutors have independently confirmed that a journalist and two immigration activists were targeted by spyware in Italy in late 2024. The three individuals, Francesco Cancellato, Giuseppe Caccia, and Luca Casarini, were hacked around the same time, suggesting a coordinated "infection campaign." The spyware, Graphite, is made by Paragon Solutions, which sells it to governments for crime prevention. The revelation contradicts an earlier parliamentary report that found no evidence of Cancellato being targeted. The prosecutors' findings deepen the mystery of who targeted Cancellato and why, especially given his outlet's critical reporting on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's party. The investigation began after WhatsApp revealed that numerous individuals, including journalists, were targeted by Paragon's hacking software.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Israel 40% United States 40% Brothers of Italy 50% Italian government 50% Fanpage ×260% Giorgia Meloni ×270% Giuseppe Caccia ×370% Luca Casarini ×370% Italy 80% Paragon Solutions ×280% Francesco Cancellato ×690%

Keywords

spyware 100% hacking 90% italian prosecutors 80% immigration activists 70% journalist 70% graphite spyware 60% paragon solutions 60% italian intelligence agencies 50% francesco cancellato 50% domestic spying scandal 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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spyware hacking italian prosecutors immigration activists journalist graphite spyware paragon solutions italian intelligence agencies francesco cancellato domestic spying scandal

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