US Jury Orders NSO Group to Pay $168 Million to WhatsApp in Landmark Spyware Case

A federal jury in California has ordered Israeli spyware maker NSO Group to pay WhatsApp approximately $168 million in damages, marking a watershed moment in the fight against commercial cyberespionage. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, concludes a six-year legal battle between Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, and NSO Group, whose Pegasus spyware was […] The post US Jury Orders NSO Group to Pay $168 Million to WhatsApp in Landmark Spyware Case appeared first on Cyber Security News.

May 7, 2025 - 12:53

US Jury Orders NSO Group to Pay $168 Million to WhatsApp in Landmark Spyware Case

A federal jury in California has ordered Israeli spyware maker NSO Group to pay WhatsApp approximately $168 million in damages, marking a watershed moment in the fight against commercial cyberespionage.

The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, concludes a six-year legal battle between Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, and NSO Group, whose Pegasus spyware was used to hack the messaging app’s users around the world.

Meta-owned WhatsApp filed the lawsuit in 2019 after discovering that Pegasus, NSO’s powerful surveillance tool, had been used to infiltrate the devices of about 1,400 users, including journalists, human rights activists, and government officials, across 20 countries.

The spyware exploited a zero-click vulnerability, enabling attackers to compromise phones without any user interaction, granting access to messages, emails, calls, and even the ability to remotely activate cameras and microphones.

NSO Group to Pay $168 Million to WhatsApp

The jury awarded $444,719 in compensatory damages to cover WhatsApp’s costs to patch the exploited vulnerabilities and an additional $167.3 million in punitive damages to deter similar conduct in the future.

The decision follows a December ruling by Judge Phyllis Hamilton, who found NSO Group had violated anti-hacking laws and breached WhatsApp’s terms of service.

Meta hailed the verdict as a milestone for digital privacy and security, stating, “Today’s verdict in the WhatsApp case marks a significant advancement for privacy and security, representing the first triumph against the creation and utilization of unlawful spyware that endangers the safety and privacy of individuals”.

Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, called the ruling a “critical deterrent to the spyware industry against their unlawful activities directed at American companies and our global users”.

The case also exposed rare details about the inner workings of the commercial spyware industry. Testimony revealed that NSO charged government clients millions of dollars to hack devices via Pegasus, and that the company continued to update its tools even after WhatsApp patched vulnerabilities and initiated the lawsuit.

NSO Group, for its part, defended its technology as a tool for fighting crime and terrorism, and indicated plans to appeal the verdict, arguing that the jury was not allowed to consider evidence about the alleged positive uses of Pegasus by government agencies.

Legal experts and human rights advocates say the ruling sets a precedent for holding spyware vendors accountable for abuses, dealing a major blow to one of the world’s most prolific surveillance firms. Meta has announced its intention to donate any collected damages to organizations defending against spyware attacks.

As the spyware industry continues to grow, the outcome of this case is expected to influence ongoing debates about surveillance, privacy, and the responsibilities of technology providers worldwide.

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