Apple and WhatsApp have committed to continue alerting users if their devices are targeted by government hacking software, particularly in the United States, as two spyware companies aim to penetrate the Trump administration.
The two tech giants provided statements in response to questions from the Guardian, as two Israeli-founded cyber weapon manufacturers, now under U.S. ownership, aggressively seek access to the American market.
Paragon Solutions, known for its spyware called Graphite, has already reached an agreement with the Trump administration to provide U.S. immigration officials with one of the most advanced hacking tools globally as of September, following the unfreezing of a $2 million contract by the Department of Homeland Affairs with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Paragon did not reply to requests for comment.
NSO Group, another firm cited by the Biden administration in 2021 for conducting business “that goes against the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” revealed over the weekend that David Friedman, former U.S. ambassador to Israel during Donald Trump’s initial term, will become executive chairman of the parent company that owns NSO. The company has reportedly been recently acquired by new investors, including American film producer Robert Simmons.
Both Paragon and NSO Group develop spyware capable of infiltrating any phone without the knowledge of the user, enabling the spyware operator to read texts, eavesdrop on calls, track locations, and turn mobile devices into wiretapping tools or remote cameras.
While both companies defend their products as tools to combat serious crimes and thwart potential terrorist activities, their software is also weaponized by government clients to spy on individuals they wish to monitor covertly, including journalists, business leaders, and human rights advocates.
Apple and WhatsApp have consistently opposed the proliferation of spyware worldwide, notifying users via alerts when potential hacking attempts are detected in various countries, including Italy, Spain, and India.
In October, a U.S. court ruled in favor of WhatsApp after six years of legal battles, preventing NSO from targeting WhatsApp users in the future.
However, concerns arise due to the close connections between Apple, WhatsApp’s parent company Meta, and the Trump administration regarding whether they will persist in warning users amid such spyware threats in the United States.
“Threat notifications are intended to individually inform and assist users who may be victims of mercenary spyware, irrespective of geographic location,” Apple stated.
“WhatsApp aims to safeguard our users by disrupting hacking attempts from mercenary spyware, advancing protective measures, and notifying those whose devices are under threat, no matter where they are globally,” commented a WhatsApp representative.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that the FBI considered utilizing NSO’s Pegasus but ultimately declined to incorporate commercial spyware into its operations. Experts express concern over the legality surrounding the use of spyware in the United States, given existing laws that restrict targeted surveillance of Americans.
An aide to Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, mentioned that current immigration officials provided a preliminary briefing to his office, stating that “the policy is still under development,” but there has been no feedback since the government shutdown began in October.
When asked about the potential lifting of sanctions imposed on NSO by the Biden administration in 2021, Friedman mentioned during a phone call from Israel that he has yet to discuss the matter with President Trump, stating, “I hope that happens, but I have not made that request yet.” He added it is “too early to determine” when NSO may pursue the removal of these sanctions.
Regarding mercenary spyware, John Scott Railton, a senior research fellow at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Research Institute, warns that “no one is safe.” He is recognized as a leading authority on tracking and disrupting spyware usage against civil society members globally.
“American firms are unprepared to detect and defend against this type of menace domestically, similarly to healthcare institutions, legal professionals, politicians, and the general populace,” he noted. “The last thing America needs now is a silent spyware epidemic.”
Paragon initially signed a contract with ICE in 2024 under the Biden administration. The relatively small agreement went unnoticed by the White House until its official announcement, several insiders disclosed. Wired reported. The contract was subsequently suspended to ascertain whether it complied with a significant executive order issued earlier. Signed by the White House in May 2023, it prohibited the operational use of spyware that “poses a risk to national security or has been exploited by foreign entities for human rights violations globally.”
At that point, Paragon was free from surveillance controversies, unlike NSO Group, which faced scrutiny for its Pegasus spyware targeting a plethora of civil society organizations.
However, the situation shifted in January 2025 when WhatsApp disclosed that 90 individuals, including journalists and civil society members, had been targeted by Paragon’s Graphite.
Following this revelation, Paragon severed its ties with the Italian government, alleging that Italy violated its service terms by using spyware against civil society members.
Since then, media accounts have detailed how several Italian journalists, at least two executives from Italy’s largest bank, an Italian human rights advocate, and an Italian political strategist were targeted by hacking spyware in 2024.
The current government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has admitted that the software was employed against certain activists by Italian agencies with legal authority, but has not accepted responsibility for other prominent targets.
“This is Italy’s Watergate,” remarked former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in an interview.
“This is a tool that only governments can wield. If the Italian government continues to deny its usage, the question for multiple Italian business leaders and journalists remains, who is responsible?” he said. “I may not be closely aligned with journalists, but freedom of the press is essential in a free democracy. Using this tool against journalists is intolerable.”
Some officials are worried that this Graphite may now be under the control of U.S. immigration authorities.
“ICE is already undermining due process by hastily detaining children and families who pose no threat, ruining lives,” Wyden stated to the Guardian. “I am extremely concerned about how ICE will utilize spyware, facial recognition, and other technologies to further infringe upon the rights of American citizens and those whom Donald Trump views as adversaries.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
Source: www.theguardian.com
