In early 2025, WhatsApp notified roughly 90 journalists and civil society members across Europe: they were targeted by Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions, TechCrunch reported. Apple also sent threat notifications to iOS users. Forensic analysis confirmed two journalists were hit with Paragon’s Graphite spyware via a zero-click attack, per Zamin Uz. These attacks expose a critical vulnerability: while tech giants deploy broad protections, highly sophisticated, targeted spyware still breaches defenses, especially for high-value users. This ongoing cat-and-mouse game between platforms and state-backed developers will intensify. High-risk individuals must remain vigilant, adopting multi-layered security strategies.

The Scale of Tech's General Defenses

  • Gmail blocks 99.9% of suspicious or dangerous emails, per Google Safety.
  • Google blocks billions of bad ads annually, averaging 100 per second, according to Google Safety.
  • Since March 2023, Meta has blocked and shared over 1,000 malicious links across its platforms, according to Meta About.

The vast, automated defenses safeguarding billions daily from common digital threats are revealed by these figures. Tech companies pour resources into maintaining a baseline security for their massive user base, but these broad measures often miss highly targeted attacks.

Advanced Tools in the Spyware Arms Race

Tech companies are also deploying more specific features against spyware. The Play Integrity API, for instance, lets developers verify if a device is compatible with Google Play Protect, if Play Protect is active, and if it found any Potentially Harmful Apps (PHAs), as noted by Google Developers. This offers a deeper check on device integrity.

Meta detected and disrupted nearly ten new malware strains this year, according to Meta About. This signals a move towards proactive threat intelligence. Companies now actively hunt and neutralize novel malware, shifting beyond simple blocking to anticipate new threats. However, even these advanced tools struggle against zero-click, state-sponsored attacks.