Ethical Hacking News
In a landmark court decision, WhatsApp's parent company Meta has been awarded $168 million in damages from Israeli surveillanceware developer NSO Group. This verdict marks a significant escalation in the ongoing saga of Pegasus, a spyware tool used by governments to snoop on individuals' personal communications. The case highlights the dangers of unchecked government surveillance and underscores the need for greater accountability from companies like NSO Group.
A California jury has awarded Meta $168 million in damages from NSO Group, an Israeli surveillanceware developer. The verdict marks a significant escalation in the ongoing saga of Pegasus, a spyware tool used by governments to snoop on individuals' personal communications. NSO Group's Pegasus tool exploited a zero-click, zero-day vulnerability in WhatsApp, compromising around 1,400 accounts. The case has been ongoing for several years, with both sides engaging in legal battles over NSO Group's use of spyware to target WhatsApp users without consent. The verdict highlights the dangers of unchecked government surveillance and calls for greater accountability from companies like NSO Group.
In a landmark court decision, a California jury has awarded Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, $168 million in damages from NSO Group, an Israeli surveillanceware developer. This verdict marks a significant escalation in the ongoing saga of Pegasus, a spyware tool that has been used by governments to snoop on individuals' personal communications.
The case dates back to May 2019, when WhatsApp engineers discovered a zero-click, zero-day vulnerability in the Meta-owned chat platform. This flaw allowed an attacker to install malware on a device with just a single phone call and no requirement for user interaction. NSO Group's Pegasus tool exploited this vulnerability to compromise around 1,400 WhatsApp accounts.
WhatsApp immediately patched the flaw within days, but it was not enough to prevent the exploitation of the vulnerability by governments. In October 2019, Meta filed a lawsuit against NSO Group, alleging that the Israeli company had broken computer abuse and trespass laws. The lawsuit claimed that NSO had used its spyware to target WhatsApp users without their consent.
The case has been ongoing for several years, with both sides engaging in a series of legal battles. In 2020, a judge gave the green light for the case to begin in earnest, allowing Meta to discover more information about NSO's operations. However, NSO Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has argued that its spyware is used responsibly by authorized government agencies.
One of the most striking aspects of this case is the sheer scope of the surveillance capabilities offered by Pegasus. The tool can access all and any data on a device, including phone records, emails, messages, and video, as well as the location of the device. It can even allow its operator to turn on the handset's camera and microphone for clandestine recording.
In addition to WhatsApp, NSO Group's spyware has also been used to target iPhone users and has been found on devices belonging to US, EU, and UK government officials. In one high-profile case, it was reported that the Saudi Arabian government had used Pegasus to spy on journalists who disagreed with the monarchy, including the assassinated journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Despite NSO Group's denials, the evidence against the company is mounting. Last year, a judge found the surveillanceware slinger guilty, and the jury sat down on Monday to decide what the penalties should be. Meta's lawyers suggested that the NSO Group's research budget was $60 million, and so that might be a figure to consider.
The verdict has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, with many calling for greater accountability from companies like NSO Group. "For a long time there were a handful of us doing mercenary spyware research," said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab. "Having WhatsApp independently do serious investigating and publicly attribute hacking to NSO Group was huge for helping the rest of the world see the severity of the issue. Thankfully, today this has changed."
In response to the verdict, NSO Group released a statement saying that it would carefully examine the details and pursue appropriate legal remedies, including further proceedings and an appeal.
The Pegasus affair is a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked government surveillance. As one commentator noted, "Oh what a tangled web we weave." It is only by shedding light on these dark corners of the tech world that we can begin to hold companies like NSO Group accountable for their actions.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Pegasus-Affair-A-Global-Surveillance-Scandal-Reaches-a-New-Level-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/05/06/nso_group_meta_verdict/
Published: Tue May 6 20:51:11 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
