News Summary

A US federal judge has issued a permanent injunction against the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, prohibiting it from using its Pegasus spyware to target users of WhatsApp, a messaging service owned by Meta Platforms. The ruling, handed down by Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton of the Northern District of California, stems from a case initiated by Meta in 2019. The lawsuit accused NSO of exploiting a WhatsApp vulnerability to install spyware on approximately 1,400 devices, including those belonging to journalists, human-rights activists, and diplomats. The court’s decision, which also mandates NSO to delete any data obtained through these activities, underscores the severe business harm caused by unauthorized data access. NSO had argued that the injunction could force it out of business, but the court found the harm to Meta’s informational privacy outweighed these concerns. Additionally, the ruling reduced the damages NSO was liable for from $168 million to $4 million. Despite NSO’s warnings that the ruling could jeopardize its operations, the court emphasized the importance of protecting user privacy and the integrity of encrypted communications.