Background on NSO Group and Pegasus
The Israel-based NSO Group is a software company specializing in surveillance technology. Their flagship product, Pegasus, exploits vulnerabilities in commonly used computer programs to enhance surveillance capabilities. This has made WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular communication platforms, a prime target for NSO.
Legal Battle and Court Ruling
A U.S. court has ordered NSO Group to cease targeting WhatsApp, a Meta Platforms service. In a 25-page ruling issued on Friday, Judge Phyllis Hamilton imposed a permanent injunction against NSO’s attempts to infiltrate WhatsApp.
Additionally, the court significantly reduced the damages defined in a recent trial, lowering NSO’s payment to Meta from approximately $167 million to $4 million.
Impact on NSO Group
The court order poses a challenge for NSO, which has been accused of enabling human rights abuses through its Pegasus surveillance software for years.
NSO previously argued that a court order preventing them from pursuing WhatsApp would “put the entire company at risk” and force them to “exit the business,” according to the ruling.
Reactions from Meta
Meta executives welcomed the court’s decision.
Will Cathcart, Head of WhatsApp: “Today’s ruling prevents spyware manufacturer NSO from targeting WhatsApp and our global users again. We applaud this decision, which comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for attacking members of civil society.”
NSO, which has long maintained that its products combat serious crimes and terrorism, expressed satisfaction with the 97% reduction in punitive damages. They also noted that the injunction does not apply to their clients, “who will continue using the company’s technology to assist in public safety.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is NSO Group? An Israel-based software company specializing in surveillance technology, most notably the Pegasus spyware.
- What is Pegasus? NSO’s flagship surveillance software that exploits vulnerabilities in commonly used computer programs to enhance surveillance capabilities.
- Why is WhatsApp a target? Due to Pegasus’ ability to exploit weaknesses in widely-used software, making WhatsApp a prime target for surveillance.
- What did the court order? NSO Group to stop targeting WhatsApp and imposed a permanent injunction against their infiltration attempts.
- What was the outcome regarding damages? The court significantly reduced NSO’s payment to Meta from approximately $167 million to $4 million.
