NSO Group has been ordered to pay WhatsApp $167.25 million in damages for illegal spyware use.
The lawsuit began in 2019 after WhatsApp discovered NSO’s Pegasus exploiting a vulnerability in its app.
WhatsApp plans to publish NSO Group depositions, offering unprecedented insight into the spyware business.
After a five-year-long legal battle, WhatsApp has finally won the case against the notorious spyware maker NSO Group. This comes after the US authorities have ordered NSO Group to pay $167,254,000 in punitive damages and around $444,719 in compensatory damages to WhatsApp in its fight against illegal spyware.
SurveyFor the unversed, the conflict between WhatsApp and NSO Group started in 2019 when the Meta-owned instant messaging platform discovered that the spyware firm had exploited a vulnerability in the app’s audio-calling feature. This bug allowed the NSO Group’s Pegasus to infect the devices of over 1,400 users worldwide without their knowledge. Among the 1,400 users, the victims include journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents, and lawyers.
In response, WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against NSO Group in 2019, accusing the group of hacking its servers, exploiting vulnerabilities in its application, and violating US federal and California state laws. In December last year, a US judge ruled in WhatsApp’s favor, declaring NSO Group liable for breaching these laws.
After the verdict, Zade Alsawah, WhatsApp’s spokesperson, described the ruling as a “historic victory” and a crucial milestone for user privacy and security. Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, has reportedly stated that the lawsuit is a wake-up call for tech companies, the government, and internet users.
On the other hand, NSO Group has stated that the company may appeal the decision. The company has been criticized for selling its Pegasus spyware to governments with questionable human rights records. These tools were used to target individuals who posed no security threat but were vocal critics of government policies.
John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, “WhatsApp is publishing the transcribed NSO Group Depositions. This is an unprecedented view for investigators into NSO’s business, exploit development, operations & financials. Nothing like this has ever been made public about any spyware company.”
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
