At least one Jordanian activist
January 22, 2026
•[ digital forensics, government surveillance, data extraction ]
The Record summarized findings from a Citizen Lab report stating that Jordanian authorities used Cellebrite digital forensic software to extract data from phones belonging to at least seven Jordanian activists and human rights defenders between late 2023 and mid-2025. The reports evidence was based on forensic analysis of seized phones in multiple cases and court records in others, and it stated the extractions occurred while individuals were interrogated or detained for speech critical of Israels Gaza campaign.
Italian Political Consultant, Francesco Nicodemo
January 1, 2025
•[ spyware, government surveillance, targeted attack ]
Italian political consultant Francesco Nicodemo, who has worked with centre-left politicians, revealed in November 2025 that he was notified by WhatsApp in January that his phone had been targeted with Paragon spyware. His case broadens an existing spyware scandal in Italy that has already affected journalists, activists and business leaders. Parliamentary committee COPASIR has acknowledged that Italian intelligence agencies used Paragon in some cases, but it is unclear who ordered surveillance on Nicodemo or whether his device was successfully infected, prompting calls from experts for greater transparency from both the government and the spyware vendor.
