WhatsApp told TechCrunch that it believed the hacking campaign happened in December, and that it sent a cease and desist letter to Paragon. Idan Nurick, the CEO of Paragon, did not respond to a request for comment sent via LinkedIn. AE Industrial did not respond to a request for comment.

An official with Meta Platforms' popular WhatsApp chat service said Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted scores of its users, including journalists and members of civil society.

Meta's WhatsApp alleges that Paragon Solutions targeted numerous users, including journalists and civil society members, using zero-click hacks. WhatsApp has notified affected users and is pursuing legal action against Paragon while exploring legal options to hold the company accountable.