Who Founded Paragon Solutions?

The Israeli-based cyber espionage world was shaken by NSO Group’s (Pegasus) global blacklisting and prestige crises, but the void was filled by a much more “silent” and “strategic” player: Paragon Solutions. Founded in 2019, the company operated in “stealth mode” for a long time, not even owning a website. However, recent technical leaks have pulled back the curtain on this mysterious giant.

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The Founding Team: Intelligence “A-Team”

Paragon is not an ordinary technology startup; it is a point where Israel’s military and political elites converge.

• Ehud Schneorson: Former commander of the famous Unit 8200, responsible for Israel’s signals intelligence (SIGINT).
• Ehud Barak: Former Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Israel. He is the name that opens strategic doors as both a co-founder and a board member.
• Strategic Acquisition: In mid-2024, the company was acquired by the US-based defense and aerospace investment giant AE Industrial Partners at a valuation of approximately $1 billion. This move certified Paragon’s transformation from an “Israeli startup” into a global “defense asset” under US oversight.

The Flagship “Graphite”: Cloud-Centric Next-Generation Espionage

Paragon’s core product, Graphite, possesses radical technical features that distinguish it from competitors like Pegasus.

• Cloud Intelligence (Cloud-Centric): Graphite does not just focus on data on the device. It infiltrates cloud backups such as iCloud or Google Drive. This means that even if the target person destroys their phone or deletes their messages, past data can still be accessed via the cloud.
• Zero-Click Technology: There is no need for the target to click a link or open a file. The device is compromised through an invisible data packet sent via iMessage or WhatsApp.
• Bypassing Encryption: It bypasses the security of end-to-end encrypted applications like Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp by capturing data at the device level before it is encrypted.

The “Ethical Espionage” Claim and the Major Crack

Unlike NSO Group, Paragon marketed itself as an “ethical alternative that only sells to democratic countries that believe in the rule of law.” However, field reports have shaken this claim:

Citizen Lab Reports: Cyber security researchers identified Paragon’s infrastructure servers through misconfigured digital certificates. This leak revealed that the software was used against non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocating for refugee rights in Italy.

This situation proved that the company’s rhetoric of “only fighting terrorism and serious crime” could, in practice, be stretched for political surveillance. Following the leaks, Apple and Meta (WhatsApp) quickly released security patches to close some of the vulnerabilities used by Paragon.

A Comparative Look with Pegasus

To understand Paragon’s position in the industry, it is necessary to look at its differences from Pegasus:

Conclusion: A New Era in Cyber Weaponry

The fact that Paragon Solutions is now under the control of an American firm shows that cyber espionage tools are no longer just intelligence assets, but global financial and geopolitical power tools. Tools like Graphite make the fine line between personal privacy and national security increasingly blurry every day.

Paragon is no longer “invisible,” but with its new identity under US oversight, it is a much more powerful player than before.