A federal court in the United States has issued a permanent injunction against Israel’s NSO Group, barring the spyware firm from targeting Meta-owned WhatsApp, Reuters reported.
The ruling, handed down Friday by US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton, marks a major blow to the company, which warned that such a ban could threaten its very existence.
In her 25-page decision, Judge Hamilton prohibited NSO from attempting to breach WhatsApp, one of the world’s most widely used messaging platforms. The court also dramatically reduced the punitive damages NSO owes Meta, slashing the amount from approximately $167 million to just $4 million.
The ruling follows years of litigation over NSO’s Pegasus spyware, which exploits vulnerabilities in common software to conduct surveillance. WhatsApp has been one of Pegasus’s primary targets, with Meta alleging that the tool was used to spy on civil society members, including journalists and human rights activists.
NSO previously argued that the injunction would “put NSO’s entire enterprise at risk” and “force NSO out of business,” according to court documents.
Meta executives hailed the ruling. “Today’s ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again,” said WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart. “We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society.”
NSO, which maintains that its technology is used to combat serious crime and terrorism, welcomed the 97% reduction in damages. The company emphasized that the injunction does not apply to its customers, “who will continue using the company’s technology to help protect public safety.”
NSO stated it would review the ruling and “determine its next steps accordingly.”
NSO has long been criticized over its Pegasus spyware. In one case, the Finnish foreign ministry said it had detected Pegasus in several phones used by its diplomats abroad.
The Finnish announcement followed a report in The New York Times which said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu worked to ensure that Saudi Arabia would be able to use the Pegasus software, around the time that the Abraham Accords were signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In 2022, Spain launched an investigation after the Spanish government said the spyware had been used against top politicians. The probe was shelved a year later over what was described as a "complete" lack of cooperation from Israel.
The US Commerce Department has blacklisted NSO Group, prohibiting it from using American technology in its operations.
Apple has sued the Israeli firm, seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using Apple software, services, or devices.