A U.S. federal court has issued a permanent injunction barring Israeli cyber firm NSO Group from hacking WhatsApp, while reducing Meta’s damages from $167 million to $4 million.
A U.S. District Court in California has delivered a landmark ruling against Israel’s NSO Group, permanently banning the spyware developer from targeting WhatsApp, the encrypted messaging service owned by Meta Platforms, Reuters reported Friday.
Judge Phyllis Hamilton issued the decision after years of litigation stemming from Meta’s 2019 lawsuit alleging that NSO’s Pegasus spyware was used to infiltrate WhatsApp servers and spy on more than 1,400 users — including journalists, human-rights activists, and diplomats.
While the court’s 25-page ruling upheld Meta’s request for a permanent injunction, it also dramatically reduced financial penalties, cutting NSO’s liability from $167 million to just $4 million — a 97% reduction.
A Major Blow to NSO Group
The ruling bars NSO from attempting to breach or exploit WhatsApp “now or in the future,” effectively blocking the company’s access to one of the most widely used communication networks in the world.
Judge Hamilton rejected NSO’s argument that it deserved immunity as a government contractor, reaffirming that private firms cannot claim sovereign protection even when acting on behalf of foreign governments.
“This injunction puts an end to NSO’s unlawful attempts to compromise our users’ security,” said Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp. “After six years of litigation, today’s decision sends a clear message: spyware companies are not above the law.”
NSO’s Response
NSO, based in Herzliya, Israel, called the injunction “a serious challenge” but welcomed the reduction in damages. The company said it would review the ruling before deciding on next steps.
In a statement, NSO emphasized that its government clients — not the company itself — are responsible for operational use of its surveillance tools.
“Our technologies are used to prevent terrorism, dismantle criminal networks, and save lives,” the firm said. “This ruling does not apply to our customers, who will continue using NSO technology to protect public safety.”
A History of Global Controversy
NSO’s Pegasus spyware has been at the center of international surveillance scandals.
- In Finland, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Pegasus had infected phones of several diplomats abroad.
- In Spain, an investigation into Pegasus use against senior politicians was later dropped due to what authorities described as a “complete lack of cooperation” from Israel.
- The U.S. Commerce Department blacklisted NSO in 2021, prohibiting it from sourcing American technology for its operations.
Reports have also linked NSO’s global licensing to diplomatic initiatives: The New York Times revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facilitated Pegasus export approvals to Saudi Arabia during the 2020 Abraham Accords negotiations with the UAE — a move critics said intertwined Israeli diplomacy with private cyber-surveillance deals.
Big Tech Strikes Back
The WhatsApp ruling follows Apple’s separate lawsuit seeking to permanently bar NSO from using any Apple software, services, or devices.
Together, the two tech giants’ legal victories mark a turning point in Silicon Valley’s campaign against state-linked surveillance tools that exploit private communication platforms.
For NSO, once hailed as a leader in counterterror cyberintelligence, the U.S. injunction represents a potential existential threat. As the company itself warned in court filings, losing access to major Western platforms could “force NSO out of business.”
