Italian Activist Casarini Targeted by Spyware, Meta Reports

Luca Casarini, an Italian migrant rescue activist, received a warning from Meta about spyware targeting his phone, coinciding with Meta's allegations against the surveillance firm Paragon Solutions for employing sophisticated hacking methods. This incident is part of a broader spyware campaign affecting users across multiple European countries, including Italy, where both Casarini and journalist Francesco Cancellato have been identified as targets. The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has denied any involvement in the spyware incidents and stated that its cybersecurity agency is investigating. Meta's warning highlighted the use of a 'zero-click hack,' which allows for data theft without user interaction, raising significant concerns about privacy and democracy. Casarini, who has faced legal challenges over his rescue work, remains unaware of the attackers' identity or whether the operation was sanctioned. The situation underscores ongoing tensions surrounding surveillance and the treatment of activists and journalists in Italy.