Meta has won a major legal battle over WhatsApp spyware attacks after years of courtroom conflict with the NSO Group. A U.S. jury ordered the Israeli spyware maker to pay Meta more than $167 million in punitive damages.
The case centered on Pegasus, NSO Group’s powerful surveillance tool. Meta sued NSO in 2019, accusing it of launching WhatsApp spyware attacks on over 1,400 users in 20 countries. Targets included journalists, human rights workers, and activists.
Meta said Pegasus used a video call exploit to install malware, even if the recipient never answered the call. This made it a dangerous and invasive cyber weapon. Last year, a judge ruled that NSO violated the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
This week’s verdict followed a week-long jury trial in a California court. The jury awarded $444,719 in compensatory damages to Meta. It also ordered NSO to pay $167,254,000 in punitive damages. Together, the total judgment exceeds $167 million.
WhatsApp’s Vice President of Global Communications, Carl Woog, praised the outcome. He called the verdict a clear warning to the spyware industry. He said it sends a strong message that illegal WhatsApp spyware attacks will not go unpunished.
NSO Group, however, rejected the jury’s decision. Company spokesman Gil Lainer said the verdict ignores the role of Pegasus in saving lives. He insisted the tool is used by approved government agencies to fight crime and terrorism.
NSO’s legal team argued that WhatsApp suffered no real harm from the spyware. They claimed U.S. phone numbers couldn’t even be targeted by Pegasus.
Despite winning the case, Meta acknowledged the challenge of collecting damages. Woog said the company hopes to eventually donate any money received to digital rights organizations. He also confirmed that Meta will seek a court order blocking NSO from future WhatsApp spyware attacks.
The case highlights growing legal pressure on spyware developers. It marks a significant victory for tech companies defending user privacy worldwide.
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