The Israeli spy company allegedly reduced access to its clients in Italy after charges that its product was used to target critics of the Italian government.
The move comes after WhatsApp reported last week that the spy software made by Paragon Solutions has been used to target 90 Whatsapp users in two dozen countries, including journalists and members of civil society.
On Wednesday, the Italian government confirmed that seven mobile phone users in the country were targeted by spy software at WhatsApp, calling the incident “especially serious”.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office refused any involvement and asked the Italian National Cibrary Security Agency (ACN) to consider the issue.
BBC addressed Paragon Solutions and the Italian government for comment.
Three of those who were supposedly aimed in Italy appeared: Francesco Cancellato, research journalist, Husam El Gomita, a critic of the participation of Italy in Libya, and Luca Casarini, founder of the Italian NGOs that helps migrants.
According to reports in Guard and HaaretzParagon has now abolished his relationship with his clients in Italy. These clients are said to include an intelligence agency and law enforcement agency.
Paragon solutions operates exclusively with state bodies. Its leading product is known as graffiti and allows users to have complete access to the target phone. He says the product is intended for the fight against crime.
The company is considered a competitor of NSO Group, which produces spy software Pegasus.
WhatsApp first reported to the alleged campaign of spy software last week.
Whatsapp spokesman told BBC News that he “disturbed a spy campaign … which target numerous users, including journalists and members of civil society.”
“This is the latest example of why spy companies have to be responsible,” the statement added. “WhatsApp will continue to protect people’s ability to communicate privately.”
The identities of other individuals who are allegedly targeted in the campaign of spy software are not yet public.
Italy said that WhatsApp said they had the targets had telephone numbers with prefixes from countries, including Spain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden, Belgium, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.
WhatsApp spokesman told Reuters news agency that individual individuals were sent to malicious documents that did not require user interaction to endanger their device, the so-called zero click.
