Spyware

Meta Secures $168 Million Victory Against Israeli Cyberfirm in Groundbreaking WhatsApp Spyware Case

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SAN FRANCISCO — In a significant legal victory, Meta Platforms Inc. was awarded $168 million in damages against an Israeli cybersecurity company, NSO Group. The decision stems from allegations that NSO Group developed and sold spyware designed to infiltrate WhatsApp, compromising user privacy and security. The ruling, issued by a federal jury, follows a lawsuit filed by Meta in 2019, claiming that NSO Group’s software, known as Pegasus, exploited vulnerabilities in the messaging app. This incident raised serious concerns about the surveillance capabilities of private companies and their potential impact on civil liberties worldwide. Meta’s … Read more

Meta Secures $259 Million Victory Over NSO Group, Shining Light on the Dark World of Spyware

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San Francisco, California — Meta Platforms Inc. has secured a significant legal victory against the NSO Group, a firm known for developing intrusive spyware. A jury has ordered NSO to pay $259 million to Meta, stemming from a 2019 cyberattack that compromised the phones of over 1,400 WhatsApp users with malware from its Pegasus software. This attack, which analysts described as characteristic of state-sponsored surveillance operations, exploited a “zero-click” vulnerability. This means that infected users did nothing to trigger the installation of the spyware; a simple phone call was sufficient for the malicious software to … Read more

Federal Jury Orders NSO Group to Pay $170 Million to WhatsApp in Landmark Spyware Case

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A federal jury in San Jose, California, has ordered the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO to pay nearly $170 million to WhatsApp after ruling that the firm used the messaging platform to spy on around 1,500 individuals, including journalists, human rights advocates, and political dissidents, in 2019. The jury’s decision marks the conclusion of a lengthy six-year legal battle. WhatsApp described the ruling as a significant outcome for privacy rights and a precedent against the misuse of illegal spyware. In its statement, the company highlighted the serious implications that the use of such technologies can have … Read more

Federal Jury Slaps NSO Group with $168 Million Verdict for Hacking WhatsApp Users Amid Ongoing Controversy Over Spyware Ethics

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OAKLAND, Calif. — A federal jury awarded $168 million to Meta Platforms Inc. on Tuesday after finding that the Israeli tech firm NSO Group unlawfully accessed the messaging service WhatsApp to hack the accounts of 1,400 users in 2019. In a statement following the verdict, NSO Group expressed its intention to appeal the decision, maintaining its defense of the Pegasus spyware, which it claims plays a vital role in combating crime and terrorism when used by authorized government agencies. NSO’s Vice President for Global Communications, Gil Kanier, emphasized that the jury’s ruling represents merely another … Read more