Vas Panagiotopoulos
@vaspanagiotopoulos.com
Journalist interested in #surveillance & #pressfreedom | Contributor: @wired.com | @ftm.eu | Covers 🇬🇷 for @rsf.org | Researcher: @deakinuniversity.bsky.social
☏ Signal: vas.99
http://vaspanagiotopoulos.com
☏ Signal: vas.99
http://vaspanagiotopoulos.com
"Among the government bodies listed on documents seen by Intelligence Online are 🇵🇰Pakistan and its defence ministry, 🇮🇩Indonesia's State Intelligence Agency, the 🇲🇲Myanmar Police Force, 🇲🇽Mexico's army and navy and 🇻🇪Venezuela's defence ministry."
www.intelligenceonline.com/americas/202...
www.intelligenceonline.com/americas/202...
January 6, 2026 at 8:20 PM
"Among the government bodies listed on documents seen by Intelligence Online are 🇵🇰Pakistan and its defence ministry, 🇮🇩Indonesia's State Intelligence Agency, the 🇲🇲Myanmar Police Force, 🇲🇽Mexico's army and navy and 🇻🇪Venezuela's defence ministry."
www.intelligenceonline.com/americas/202...
www.intelligenceonline.com/americas/202...
Another similarly named 🇺🇸Delaware company (Hippocrene, LLC) can be linked to Hollywood producer Robert Simonds, who, according to reports, leads a group of US investors that has acquired controlling ownership of #Pegasus maker NSO Group.
December 28, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Another similarly named 🇺🇸Delaware company (Hippocrene, LLC) can be linked to Hollywood producer Robert Simonds, who, according to reports, leads a group of US investors that has acquired controlling ownership of #Pegasus maker NSO Group.
⚠️ All shares of NorthPole Newco, one of the key entities associated with #Pegasus maker NSO Group, have been transferred to the 🇺🇸Delaware–registered Hippocrene Ventures LLC, according to Luxembourg filings dated 18 December.
December 28, 2025 at 12:19 PM
⚠️ All shares of NorthPole Newco, one of the key entities associated with #Pegasus maker NSO Group, have been transferred to the 🇺🇸Delaware–registered Hippocrene Ventures LLC, according to Luxembourg filings dated 18 December.
The 🇪🇺 @ec.europa.eu's plan to set up an intelligence unit has not been well received by several Member States and within the European External Action Service. Its remit is therefore likely to be scaled back, according to Intelligence Online.
www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russi...
www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russi...
December 11, 2025 at 7:46 AM
The 🇪🇺 @ec.europa.eu's plan to set up an intelligence unit has not been well received by several Member States and within the European External Action Service. Its remit is therefore likely to be scaled back, according to Intelligence Online.
www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russi...
www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russi...
Tal Dilian’s response to the investigation includes a clear nod to the Trump administration, seemingly in the hope of seeing 🇺🇸U.S. Treasury sanctions lifted.
December 4, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Tal Dilian’s response to the investigation includes a clear nod to the Trump administration, seemingly in the hope of seeing 🇺🇸U.S. Treasury sanctions lifted.
➡️The report emphasises that the forthcoming evaluation of the 🇪🇺EU Dual-Use Regulation provides a critical opportunity to strengthen the framework and ensure it addresses the unique risks associated with spyware.
✅It makes the following policy recommendations:
✅It makes the following policy recommendations:
December 4, 2025 at 8:00 AM
➡️The report emphasises that the forthcoming evaluation of the 🇪🇺EU Dual-Use Regulation provides a critical opportunity to strengthen the framework and ensure it addresses the unique risks associated with spyware.
✅It makes the following policy recommendations:
✅It makes the following policy recommendations:
A new @cdteu.org report looks into export licensing systems in 🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇳🇱 & finds that existing frameworks are not ⚠️fully equipped to address challenges related to #spyware trade, incl. current market dynamics (e.g. complex corporate structures) that prevent oversight & control.
cdt.org/wp-content/u...
cdt.org/wp-content/u...
December 4, 2025 at 8:00 AM
A new @cdteu.org report looks into export licensing systems in 🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇳🇱 & finds that existing frameworks are not ⚠️fully equipped to address challenges related to #spyware trade, incl. current market dynamics (e.g. complex corporate structures) that prevent oversight & control.
cdt.org/wp-content/u...
cdt.org/wp-content/u...
⚠️ New victims of Predator #spyware identified, with malicious TikTok links revealing new targets, and evidence showing 🇪🇬Egypt & 🇸🇦Saudi clients still active.
➡️ Ad-based infections confirmed.
➡️ Leaked files & investigation expose post-sanctions Intellexa operations.
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
➡️ Ad-based infections confirmed.
➡️ Leaked files & investigation expose post-sanctions Intellexa operations.
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
December 4, 2025 at 6:03 AM
⚠️ New victims of Predator #spyware identified, with malicious TikTok links revealing new targets, and evidence showing 🇪🇬Egypt & 🇸🇦Saudi clients still active.
➡️ Ad-based infections confirmed.
➡️ Leaked files & investigation expose post-sanctions Intellexa operations.
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
➡️ Ad-based infections confirmed.
➡️ Leaked files & investigation expose post-sanctions Intellexa operations.
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
New report by 🇫🇷France's National Cyber Security Agency (@anssi-fr.bsky.social) on the threat landscape for mobile phones since 2015.
👇
www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/uploads/CERT...
👇
www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/uploads/CERT...
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 AM
New report by 🇫🇷France's National Cyber Security Agency (@anssi-fr.bsky.social) on the threat landscape for mobile phones since 2015.
👇
www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/uploads/CERT...
👇
www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/uploads/CERT...
“Soft law is not sufficient,” said fmr 🇺🇳 @niaolainf.bsky.social. “The pretence that these tools are like any other tools is factually & legally incorrect.
The more you normalise this technology for use within democracies, the more likely you are to make this tech available [to non-state groups].”
November 18, 2025 at 7:17 AM
“Soft law is not sufficient,” said fmr 🇺🇳 @niaolainf.bsky.social. “The pretence that these tools are like any other tools is factually & legally incorrect.
The more you normalise this technology for use within democracies, the more likely you are to make this tech available [to non-state groups].”
Paragon 🇮🇹victim @fcancellato.bsky.social said: “The temptation [for governments] is too high not to use [spyware] & we have to start from here. As citizens, we are not protected. Because such abuse is systemic. I will spend any minute of my life until I retire, to try to find out what happened.”
November 18, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Paragon 🇮🇹victim @fcancellato.bsky.social said: “The temptation [for governments] is too high not to use [spyware] & we have to start from here. As citizens, we are not protected. Because such abuse is systemic. I will spend any minute of my life until I retire, to try to find out what happened.”
“I do not feel [there is] any interest from @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social,” said MEP @saskiabricmont.bsky.social.
🚫“It is absolutely unbelievable that EU taxpayer's money is supporting spyware companies that have abused human rights & we finance them to do so! It's just incredible, isn't it?
🚫“It is absolutely unbelievable that EU taxpayer's money is supporting spyware companies that have abused human rights & we finance them to do so! It's just incredible, isn't it?
November 18, 2025 at 7:17 AM
“I do not feel [there is] any interest from @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social,” said MEP @saskiabricmont.bsky.social.
🚫“It is absolutely unbelievable that EU taxpayer's money is supporting spyware companies that have abused human rights & we finance them to do so! It's just incredible, isn't it?
🚫“It is absolutely unbelievable that EU taxpayer's money is supporting spyware companies that have abused human rights & we finance them to do so! It's just incredible, isn't it?
⚠️ @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social promises to submit a list of #spyware companies that received 🇪🇺EU funding following our @ftm.eu investigation.
💡All applications, she said, are reviewed by a “multidisciplinary team of ethical experts.”
🎥 WATCH: youtu.be/SjSndVxMNXU?...
Q: @danielfreund.bsky.social
💡All applications, she said, are reviewed by a “multidisciplinary team of ethical experts.”
🎥 WATCH: youtu.be/SjSndVxMNXU?...
Q: @danielfreund.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 12:17 PM
⚠️ @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social promises to submit a list of #spyware companies that received 🇪🇺EU funding following our @ftm.eu investigation.
💡All applications, she said, are reviewed by a “multidisciplinary team of ethical experts.”
🎥 WATCH: youtu.be/SjSndVxMNXU?...
Q: @danielfreund.bsky.social
💡All applications, she said, are reviewed by a “multidisciplinary team of ethical experts.”
🎥 WATCH: youtu.be/SjSndVxMNXU?...
Q: @danielfreund.bsky.social
⚠️Gerhard Schmidt, a partner at 🇺🇸law firm Weil Gotshal's 🇩🇪offices, personally invested €5m in Novalpina, the private equity fund that bought NSO Group, according to 2 people with knowledge of the matter & a New York court filing.
✍️ @kayewiggins.ft.com & Mehul Srivastava.
www.ft.com/content/a5d2...
✍️ @kayewiggins.ft.com & Mehul Srivastava.
www.ft.com/content/a5d2...
October 31, 2025 at 6:51 AM
⚠️Gerhard Schmidt, a partner at 🇺🇸law firm Weil Gotshal's 🇩🇪offices, personally invested €5m in Novalpina, the private equity fund that bought NSO Group, according to 2 people with knowledge of the matter & a New York court filing.
✍️ @kayewiggins.ft.com & Mehul Srivastava.
www.ft.com/content/a5d2...
✍️ @kayewiggins.ft.com & Mehul Srivastava.
www.ft.com/content/a5d2...
Paragon Solutions (US) has terminated its 🇺🇸 lobbying registration with law firm Holland & Knight. The filing is dated 15 October, but the termination took effect on 25 April. Paragon’s owner, AE Industrial Partners, still maintains an active registration.
October 17, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Paragon Solutions (US) has terminated its 🇺🇸 lobbying registration with law firm Holland & Knight. The filing is dated 15 October, but the termination took effect on 25 April. Paragon’s owner, AE Industrial Partners, still maintains an active registration.
💡Some key recommendations from @accessnow.org's @natynettle.bsky.social, @mdedora.bsky.social, & Rand Hammoud on 🇺🇸ICE's contract with #spyware vendor Paragon Solutions.
👇👇👇
👇👇👇
October 15, 2025 at 8:20 PM
💡Some key recommendations from @accessnow.org's @natynettle.bsky.social, @mdedora.bsky.social, & Rand Hammoud on 🇺🇸ICE's contract with #spyware vendor Paragon Solutions.
👇👇👇
👇👇👇
NEW: ⚠️ Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit – one of 🇮🇹 Italy’s largest and most influential banking groups – was also targeted with Graphite #spyware by the Israeli firm #Paragon Solutions, according to @irpimedia.eu & @lastampa.bsky.social.
✍️ @faffa42.bsky.social
irpimedia.irpi.eu/paragon-colp...
✍️ @faffa42.bsky.social
irpimedia.irpi.eu/paragon-colp...
October 11, 2025 at 7:49 AM
NEW: ⚠️ Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit – one of 🇮🇹 Italy’s largest and most influential banking groups – was also targeted with Graphite #spyware by the Israeli firm #Paragon Solutions, according to @irpimedia.eu & @lastampa.bsky.social.
✍️ @faffa42.bsky.social
irpimedia.irpi.eu/paragon-colp...
✍️ @faffa42.bsky.social
irpimedia.irpi.eu/paragon-colp...
⚠️ Caltagirone is one of the leading figures in a series of operations reshaping Italy’s 💶 financial landscape.
➡️ He is a shareholder in Generali, Monte dei Paschi (MPS), and Mediobanca – the latter having just been acquired by MPS (which also counts the Italian state among its shareholders).
➡️ He is a shareholder in Generali, Monte dei Paschi (MPS), and Mediobanca – the latter having just been acquired by MPS (which also counts the Italian state among its shareholders).
October 9, 2025 at 4:56 AM
⚠️ Caltagirone is one of the leading figures in a series of operations reshaping Italy’s 💶 financial landscape.
➡️ He is a shareholder in Generali, Monte dei Paschi (MPS), and Mediobanca – the latter having just been acquired by MPS (which also counts the Italian state among its shareholders).
➡️ He is a shareholder in Generali, Monte dei Paschi (MPS), and Mediobanca – the latter having just been acquired by MPS (which also counts the Italian state among its shareholders).
🚨 According to @irpimedia.eu & @lastampa.bsky.social, prominent 🇮🇹 Italian businessman Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone has been added to the list of people who last January received a message from WhatsApp informing them that they had been targeted with Paragon's Graphite #spyware.
October 9, 2025 at 4:56 AM
🚨 According to @irpimedia.eu & @lastampa.bsky.social, prominent 🇮🇹 Italian businessman Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone has been added to the list of people who last January received a message from WhatsApp informing them that they had been targeted with Paragon's Graphite #spyware.
Really enjoyed speaking with @emmaduchatinier.bsky.social and @alexfanta.bsky.social on the @ftm.eu podcast about my investigation into 🇪🇺European funding for commercial #spyware companies.
Thanks for having me! 🙏
📺 Watch: youtu.be/htXwY5KQzas?...
🎧 Listen: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
Thanks for having me! 🙏
📺 Watch: youtu.be/htXwY5KQzas?...
🎧 Listen: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
October 8, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Really enjoyed speaking with @emmaduchatinier.bsky.social and @alexfanta.bsky.social on the @ftm.eu podcast about my investigation into 🇪🇺European funding for commercial #spyware companies.
Thanks for having me! 🙏
📺 Watch: youtu.be/htXwY5KQzas?...
🎧 Listen: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
Thanks for having me! 🙏
📺 Watch: youtu.be/htXwY5KQzas?...
🎧 Listen: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
⚠️ Chartwell Strategy Group has parted ways with the embattled Israeli #spyware firm NSO Group. The split includes both 🇺🇸lobbying and comms work, Chartwell’s David Tamasi told @politico.com.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
October 2, 2025 at 12:56 AM
⚠️ Chartwell Strategy Group has parted ways with the embattled Israeli #spyware firm NSO Group. The split includes both 🇺🇸lobbying and comms work, Chartwell’s David Tamasi told @politico.com.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
A new @cyberstatecraft.bsky.social report identifies four obstacles that frustrate #spyware accountability efforts and proposes a legislative safe harbour framework that would incentivize technology companies to engage in such efforts.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
September 30, 2025 at 9:08 PM
A new @cyberstatecraft.bsky.social report identifies four obstacles that frustrate #spyware accountability efforts and proposes a legislative safe harbour framework that would incentivize technology companies to engage in such efforts.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
🇺🇸United States, 🇮🇱Israel, 🇬🇧United Kingdom, 🇩🇪Germany, 🇮🇹Italy, 🇷🇺Russia, 🇨🇳China, 🇫🇷France and 🇮🇳India are the counties with the most manufacturers of spyware and other cyber-surveillance tools, according to @sipri.org:
www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
September 24, 2025 at 12:48 AM
🇺🇸United States, 🇮🇱Israel, 🇬🇧United Kingdom, 🇩🇪Germany, 🇮🇹Italy, 🇷🇺Russia, 🇨🇳China, 🇫🇷France and 🇮🇳India are the counties with the most manufacturers of spyware and other cyber-surveillance tools, according to @sipri.org:
www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
Spyware vendors mapped 🌐worldwide. A new 🇸🇪 @sipri.org report reviews sanctions & export controls on #spyware and other cyber-surveillance tools — with an interactive map of vendors active in August 2025.
➡️ Map: www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
➡️ Full report: www.sipri.org/sites/defaul...
➡️ Map: www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
➡️ Full report: www.sipri.org/sites/defaul...
September 24, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Spyware vendors mapped 🌐worldwide. A new 🇸🇪 @sipri.org report reviews sanctions & export controls on #spyware and other cyber-surveillance tools — with an interactive map of vendors active in August 2025.
➡️ Map: www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
➡️ Full report: www.sipri.org/sites/defaul...
➡️ Map: www.sipri.org/visualizatio...
➡️ Full report: www.sipri.org/sites/defaul...
⚠️ @reporter-ohne-grenzen.de is taking 🇩🇪Federal Intelligence Service's use of #spyware to ⚖️ @echr.coe.int. RSF argues that spyware violates journalists’ rights in an inadmissible way & German law makes it too hard to fight surveillance by intel. agencies.
www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de/pressemittei...
www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de/pressemittei...
September 18, 2025 at 6:18 AM
⚠️ @reporter-ohne-grenzen.de is taking 🇩🇪Federal Intelligence Service's use of #spyware to ⚖️ @echr.coe.int. RSF argues that spyware violates journalists’ rights in an inadmissible way & German law makes it too hard to fight surveillance by intel. agencies.
www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de/pressemittei...
www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de/pressemittei...