Australia, Canada Investigated for Possible Use of Israeli Spyware

Recent reports suggest that Australian government agencies may be considering the use of military-grade spyware from Israeli company Paragon Solutions. Citizen Lab identified two Australian IP addresses linked to Paragon's Graphite spyware, which provides access to messaging apps and is exclusively sold to governments. Similarly, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Canada have been found to have possible links to Paragon, raising concerns about the surveillance of citizens. The spyware has previously targeted journalists and activists, with Meta reporting over 90 users compromised through WhatsApp. Paragon asserts that its tools are meant for lawful use in combating serious crimes, although scrutiny exists regarding the oversight of such technologies. The implications of these findings highlight the ongoing debates about privacy and the use of surveillance tools by law enforcement agencies.