US Court Blocks Israeli Spyware Firm NSO Group From Targeting WhatsApp Users
A US court has barred Israel’s NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, following a 2019 cyberespionage campaign affecting over 1,400 users. The ruling comes after six years of litigation and reduces NSO’s penalty from USD 167 million to about USD 4 million.
New Delhi, October 19: A US court has recently ordered Israel’s NSO Group to stop targeting Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp messaging service. The decision comes after concerns over the spyware firm’s activities. Meta executives welcomed the ruling, noting it as a significant step in protecting user privacy.
NSO was founded in 2010, and it is based in Herzliya, an Israeli tech hub near Tel Aviv. The company is known for its Pegasus spyware, which is reportedly capable of remotely activating a smartphone’s camera and microphone. A federal judge has approved WhatsApp’s request, issuing a permanent injunction that prevents Israel’s NSO Group from accessing the messaging app’s users. As per a report of TechCrunch, the court also lowered the penalty NSO Group is required to pay Mark Zuckerberg-run Meta. Meta To Soon Shut Down Messenger Desktop Apps for Windows and Mac; Check Details.
A lawsuit was filed in late 2019, which alleged that NSO Group engaged in cyberespionage by targeting journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, and other individuals through WhatsApp. The ruling now bans NSO from targeting WhatsApp and its users, highlighting a major victory after six years of litigation.
WhatsApp Head, Will Cathcart Says Today’s Ruling Bans Spyware Maker NSO From Targeting Users
Will Cathcart, Head of WhatsApp, shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) and said, "Today’s ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again." He further noted, "We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society. It sets an important precedent that there are serious consequences to attacking an American company." Perplexity New Feature Update: Aravind Srinivas-Run AI Platform Introduces Language Learning Feature on iOS and Web, Coming Soon to Android.
Earlier this year, a jury had ordered NSO Group to pay Meta over USD 167 million for a 2019 campaign that reportedly affected more than 1,400 WhatsApp users. However, US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled that there was insufficient evidence to classify NSO’s actions as "particularly egregious." As a result, the damage ratio was limited at 9 to 1, lowering the total payment to approximately USD 4 million.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 19, 2025 11:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).