A jury has ruled that Israeli company NSO Group, the maker of the infamous Pegasus spyware, must pay Meta Platforms $167 million in damages. The decision marks a significant victory for Meta after a years-long legal battle against the company, which used WhatsApp to distribute its malware.
Meta originally filed a lawsuit against NSO Group in 2019. The company alleged that its WhatsApp messaging platform was used to deliver the Pegasus malware. According to Meta, the spyware targeted more than 1,400 people across 20 countries—including journalists and human rights activists. The suit claimed that a “highly sophisticated cyberattack” spread malware through video calls, even if the calls were never answered. In 2023, a judge found NSO Group in violation of U.S. law.
After a week of deliberation, the jury awarded Meta $444,719 in damages and $167,254,000 in civil penalties, adds NIX Solutions. WhatsApp’s VP of Public Affairs, Carl Woog, described the ruling as “a major deterrent for the malware industry in the fight against illegal activities that target American companies and people’s privacy and security.”
NSO Group Responds, Vows to Continue Fight
NSO Group, which describes itself as a “cyber intelligence” company, denied wrongdoing. In court, its representatives claimed Pegasus cannot be used on phones with American numbers and argued that their spyware caused no harm to WhatsApp. These arguments ultimately failed to persuade the jury.
Following the ruling, an NSO Group spokesperson called the verdict “another step in a long legal process,” stating that the company intends to pursue “further litigation” or appeal. Gil Lainer, a spokesperson for NSO, said the company firmly believes its technology helps prevent serious crime and terrorism, and that this perspective was not fairly considered during the trial. “It is used responsibly by authorized government agencies,” he added.
Meta Looks Ahead
Carl Woog acknowledged that recovering damages from NSO may be a “long road ahead,” but confirmed Meta’s intention to seek an injunction that would prevent NSO from using WhatsApp to distribute malware in the future.
This legal decision sets a notable precedent in the fight against spyware misuse. We’ll keep you updated as the case develops and further legal actions unfold.