Another individual has come forward, alleging they were targeted by the WhatsApp spyware campaign attributed to Israeli company Paragon. Beppe Caccio, co-founder of Mediterranea Saving Humans, an Italian non-government organization (NGO) that helps immigrants, told TechCrunch that he received a notification from WhatsApp alerting him to the suspected spyware attack.

This development follows the public disclosure by Luca Casarini, another co-founder of Mediterranea Saving Humans, who received a similar notification last week. Casarini has since filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's Office in Palermo, Italy, seeking to identify the entity behind the alleged hack. During a press conference, Casarini emphasized the NGO's transparency, stating, "We don't have anything to hide. Those who spy have a lot to hide."

Caccio and Casarini are not the only ones affected by the spyware campaign. Three other individuals have also come forward, including Francesco Cancellato, director of news website Fanpage.it; Libyan activist Husam El Gomati, who lives in Sweden and works on immigration issues relating to Italy and Libya; and Casarini himself. WhatsApp initially disclosed the spyware campaign on January 31, notifying around 90 people who had been targeted.

The Israeli company Paragon, believed to be behind the spyware, has not revealed which government customer was responsible for the campaign. WhatsApp has also refrained from attributing the campaign to a particular government. The Italian government has denied involvement in the hacking campaign, stating that legally protected subjects, including journalists, were not targeted by Italian intelligence services.

The Italian prime minister's office revealed that Meta informed them of other targets in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. However, apart from Austria, none of these countries' governments responded to TechCrunch's requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the Paragon attacks are known to local authorities but declined to provide further information.

In a related development, David Yambio, co-founder of the Italy-based NGO Refugees in Libya, claimed he was targeted by a spyware campaign, although it is unclear if this is related to the Paragon attacks. Yambio received a notification from Apple about a "mercenary spyware attack" on November 13.

The lack of transparency and accountability in the spyware campaign has raised concerns about the potential misuse of surveillance technology. As more individuals come forward, the need for governments and companies to provide clear explanations and take responsibility for their actions becomes increasingly pressing.

Neither Paragon nor the Italian government responded to TechCrunch's requests for comment on the matter.