US judge blocks Pegasus maker from targeting WhatsApp users
18 Oct 2025




A US judge has issued an injunction against Israeli spyware company NSO Group, prohibiting it from targeting WhatsApp users.


The ruling comes after a lawsuit accused the firm of cyberespionage against several individuals.


Despite the victory for Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, District Judge Phyllis Hamilton reduced a $168 million damages award to just $4 million.




Judge grants Meta an injunction against NSO Group
Ruling details




Judge Hamilton ruled that NSO Group's behavior didn't meet the "particularly egregious" standard necessary to justify the jury's financial penalty calculations.


However, she did note that the firm's actions caused irreparable harm and were ongoing.


This led her to grant Meta an injunction against NSO Group's snooping tactics on WhatsApp.


"Today's ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again," said Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp.




NSO Group reverse-engineered WhatsApp code to install spyware
Spyware installation




The trial revealed that NSO Group reverse-engineered WhatsApp code to secretly install spyware on users.


The malicious software was redesigned multiple times to avoid detection and bypass security fixes at WhatsApp.


The lawsuit, filed in late 2019, accused the company of cyberespionage against journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, among other,s using the encrypted messaging service.




Judge deems damages award excessive
Defense strategy




Despite the ruling, Judge Hamilton deemed the $168 million damages verdict awarded to Meta earlier this year as excessive.


She noted that there haven't been enough cases of unlawful electronic surveillance in the smartphone era for a court to conclude that defendants' conduct was "particularly egregious."


Hamilton also hinted at a possible societal consensus on the acceptability of such conduct over time.




NSO Group is known for developing Pegasus spyware
Pegasus tool




Founded in 2010 by Israelis Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie, NSO Group is based in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv.


The company is known for developing Pegasus, a highly invasive tool that can reportedly activate a target's cell phone camera/microphone and access data on it.


A US investment group recently acquired a controlling interest in NSO Group.

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