Apple, WhatsApp Resist Entry of ’Israeli’ Spyware in US market

By Staff, Agencies

Apple and WhatsApp have vowed to keep alerting users when governments use hacking tools against them in the United States, amid the expansion of two controversial "Israeli" spyware firms under the Trump administration.

Paragon Solutions and NSO Group, both founded in "Israel" and now owned by US investors, are actively seeking access to US agencies.

Paragon, the developer of Graphite spyware, secured a deal with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] in September after the Department of Homeland Security lifted a freeze on a $2 million contract.

Both Apple and WhatsApp have taken a firm position against the spread of spyware across the globe, and have alerted individuals across multiple nations whenever their devices were compromised, including Italy, Spain, India, and others.

Apple confirmed in a statement to The Guardian, “Threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware, and geographic location is not a factor in who they are sent to.”

WhatsApp echoed the sentiment in a separate statement to The Guardian, stating, “WhatsApp’s priority is to protect our users by disrupting hacking efforts by mercenary spyware, building new layers of protection and alerting people whose device has come under threat, no matter where they are in the world.”

Apple and WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, has had previously cooperative ties with the Trump administration, raising concerns about how these firms might respond if US-based users are increasingly targeted by spyware.

NSO Group, known for its controversial Pegasus spyware and previously sanctioned by the Biden administration for national security concerns, has named former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman as executive chairman of its new US-backed holding company, reportedly acquired by investors including Hollywood producer Robert Simonds.

Now, with new US investors and leadership, NSO seems to be repositioning itself; Friedman said lifting sanctions is a hope but no request has been made yet.

Paragon Solutions, which signed an ICE contract in 2024 under Biden, had the deal paused over a 2023 executive order on risky spyware, but ICE reportedly regained access after the Trump administration approved a contract with the firm.

Paragon faced scrutiny in January 2025 after WhatsApp revealed 90 targets of its Graphite spyware, prompting it to end its Italian government contract.

The spyware reportedly targeted journalists, activists, executives, and political strategists in Italy, with the government acknowledging some surveillance but denying wider responsibility.

“This is the Italian Watergate,” former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stated in an interview. “If the Italian government continues to deny they have used this against [multiple Italian business executives] and journalists, then the question is, who did?”

The possible use of Graphite spyware by US immigration officials has alarmed civil liberties advocates. Senator Ron Wyden said, “ICE is already shredding due process… I’m extremely concerned about how ICE will use spyware, facial recognition, and other technology to further trample on the rights of Americans.”

Experts warn US institutions are unprepared for spyware threats. A senior researcher at Citizen Lab, John Scott-Railton said, “Nobody is protected… The last thing America needs right now is a silent spyware epidemic.”