Meta has scored a massive legal win after a Californian jury ruled that Israeli spyware company NSO Group illegally planted a bug in WhatsApp back in 2019.
As a result of the spyware attack, Meta has been awarded a staggering $168 million, marking the end of a six-year fight over one of the most invasive cyber incidents in recent history. The spyware used, known as Pegasus, targeted over a thousand WhatsApp users, and Meta didn’t let it slide.
In the court’s decision, NSO was ordered to pay $444,719 in compensatory damages and a whopping $167.3 million in punitive damages. That total payout represents more than just money, it’s Meta’s statement that spyware attacks like this won’t be tolerated anymore. The company is now pushing to get a court order to stop NSO from ever going after WhatsApp again, calling the decision a “critical deterrent to this malicious industry.”
But the trial brought more disturbing facts to light. WhatsApp wasn’t NSO’s only target. Pegasus has been used through various installation methods, exploiting everything from messaging platforms to browsers and operating systems. Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android weren’t safe either, and according to testimony, those systems can still be compromised today. NSO even admitted to spending tens of millions every year just to develop new ways to infect devices.
Meta didn’t hold back in its response. It released a statement slamming spyware vendors for recklessly targeting innocent users through encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Signal. The company promised it won’t back down until such spyware tools are fully stopped. They even mentioned plans to donate some of the damages, once collected, to digital rights organizations helping people fight against such malicious attacks worldwide.
And while collecting the full payout from NSO won’t be easy, Meta made it clear they’re not walking away. Their next legal move? Locking down a court order to ensure NSO can never target WhatsApp again. They also gave a shoutout to ethical hackers, encouraging researchers to report vulnerabilities through their Bug Bounty program to help keep platforms secure.
This verdict is a wake-up call to spyware developers everywhere, mess with the wrong company, and the consequences are coming.
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