US Jury Orders Israeli Spyware Firm NSO Group to Pay $167 Million in Damages to WhatsApp
A US jury has mandated Israeli spyware company NSO Group to pay over $167 million in punitive damages to WhatsApp following a 2019 cyberattack that affected the accounts of more than 1,400 users. This ruling marks the conclusion of a five-year legal battle initiated by the Meta-owned messaging service.
In addition to the punitive damages, the jury ordered NSO Group to pay about $445,000 in compensatory damages. This sum covers the expenses WhatsApp incurred during its investigation and efforts to remediate the breach.
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The Cyberattack: How it All Began
WhatsApp filed the lawsuit in 2019, accusing NSO Group of exploiting a vulnerability in its voice calling feature to install Pegasus spyware on users’ devices. The attack targeted human rights defenders, journalists, and political dissidents, violating both federal and California anti-hacking laws, as well as WhatsApp’s terms of service.
In December 2024, Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled that NSO Group had indeed violated the law and WhatsApp’s service agreement. This ruling paved the way for the jury trial to determine the financial penalties.
WhatsApp’s Historic Victory
WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah described the jury’s decision as historic, marking the first victory against illegal spyware. “This case has made history as the first win against illegal spyware that threatens everyone’s safety and privacy,” Alsawah said in a statement. She emphasized that the ruling sends a clear message to the surveillance-for-hire industry: illegal spying will not go unpunished.
Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, echoed these sentiments, calling the lawsuit a wake-up call for both tech companies and governments. He reiterated that surveillance tools like Pegasus pose significant risks to digital privacy and civil liberties.
NSO Group’s Response
NSO Group, which has consistently denied any wrongdoing, has left the door open for an appeal. Gil Lainer, a spokesperson for NSO Group, stated that the company would “carefully examine the verdict’s details and pursue appropriate legal remedies, including further proceedings and an appeal.”
