The Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group has been ordered to pay $167 million in damages to Meta, concluding a prolonged legal dispute stemming from the company's unauthorized hacking of 1,400 WhatsApp accounts belonging to journalists, human rights defenders, and government officials.
In December, a federal judge in California found that NSO Group violated cybersecurity laws by deploying its Pegasus spyware to infiltrate phones with WhatsApp installed across 20 different countries. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is an encrypted messaging platform with over two billion users, alongside other Meta-owned platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Meta pursued damages in March, leading to a jury trial last week where arguments over the extent of penalties were presented. Following two days of deliberations, the jury rendered the $167 million award against NSO Group.
Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, described the verdict as a vital deterrent to the spyware industry’s illegal activities targeting American companies and users globally, emphasizing that combating this widespread threat requires collective effort.
WhatsApp announced its intention to allocate the awarded damages to organizations dedicated to defending digital rights.
In response, NSO Group’s vice president for global communication, Gil Lainer, stated that the company will thoroughly review the verdict and seek appropriate legal actions, including an appeal. He reiterated NSO’s position that its technology is critical in combating serious crime and terrorism when used responsibly by authorized government agencies.
The lawsuit, initiated by WhatsApp in 2019, accused NSO Group of unauthorized access to WhatsApp’s servers. The trial also marked the first time NSO executives testified publicly, revealing the company’s capacity to covertly install Pegasus spyware on targeted mobile devices. NSO maintained that Pegasus supports law enforcement and intelligence efforts to uphold security.
