Meta awarded $167.25 million from NSO over spyware hack

A U.S. federal jury has ordered NSO Group, the Israeli maker of Pegasus spyware, to pay Meta $167 million in punitive damages and approximately $445,000 in compensatory damages for hacking 1,400 WhatsApp users, including journalists, activists, and government officials, across 20 countries. The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by Meta in 2019 after vulnerabilities were discovered allowing Pegasus to compromise devices via WhatsApp calls, even if unanswered. Meta welcomed the verdict as a significant deterrent to the spyware industry and announced plans to seek a court injunction to prevent further targeting of WhatsApp by NSO, as well as intentions to donate the awarded funds to digital rights organizations. NSO Group criticized the decision and indicated it would pursue further legal remedies, maintaining its technology is used to combat serious crime and terrorism. The case highlights the growing legal challenges faced by spyware developers, as Apple has also sued NSO Group for targeting iPhone users. Despite the ruling, Meta acknowledged there may be difficulties in recovering the damages.