A U.S. District Court has mandated that the Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group cease its targeting of Meta Platforms” messaging service, WhatsApp. This decision follows a 25-page ruling issued by Judge Phyllis Hamilton on Friday, which imposes a permanent injunction against NSO”s attempts to compromise the widely used communication platform.
The court”s ruling comes amid longstanding accusations against NSO of enabling human rights violations through its prominent hacking tool, Pegasus. This software exploits vulnerabilities in various applications, making WhatsApp a significant target for surveillance.
In a notable development, the court reduced the punitive damages owed by NSO to Meta from approximately $167 million to $4 million, providing the company with substantial relief. NSO has previously expressed concerns that such an injunction could jeopardize its business operations, stating that it “would put NSO”s entire enterprise at risk” and potentially “force NSO out of business.”
Following the ruling, WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart expressed satisfaction, stating on X that the decision prevents NSO from targeting WhatsApp and its global user base. He added, “We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society.”
Despite the injunction, NSO maintains that its products are essential for combating serious crime and terrorism. The company welcomed the significant reduction in punitive damages and asserted that the injunction does not apply to its customers, who will continue to use its technology for public safety purposes. NSO indicated that it would assess the ruling and decide on its subsequent actions.
Recently, NSO was acquired by a group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds, according to reports from the technology publication TechCrunch.
