Spyware firm NSO ordered to pay $167M in WhatsApp hacking suit
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A California federal jury found that Israel-based spyware vendor NSO Group owes $167.25 million in punitive damages for enabling the hacks of about 1,400 WhatsApp users' devices.
Why it matters: The damages deal a major economic blow to one of the world's most prolific spyware vendors and sets a precedent for similar cases.
Catch up quick: Meta-owned WhatsApp sued NSO Group back in 2019 after it discovered that the company's Pegasus surveillance tool was used to hack WhatsApp users' devices.
- Pegasus provides what's known as "zero-click" spyware, which means someone can infect a target's device without them having to click on a link or open a message.
- News reports have found that governments were using the tool to spy on dissidents, human rights activists and journalists.
- NSO Group said the company "will carefully examine the verdict's details and pursue appropriate legal remedies, including further proceedings and an appeal."
- "We firmly believe that our technology plays a critical role in preventing serious crime and terrorism and is deployed responsibly by authorized government agencies," the company added.
Zoom in: Tuesday's ruling was simply about what damages NSO Group owed to WhatsApp after a judge ruled in December that the spyware vendor was responsible for hacking and breach of contract.
- The jury also decided that NSO Group must pay $444,719 in compensatory damages to Meta.
- NSO Group had argued it was not responsible for how its customers used Pegasus.
What they're saying: "Today, the jury's decision to force NSO, a notorious foreign spyware merchant, to pay damages is a critical deterrent to this malicious industry against their illegal acts aimed at American companies and the privacy and security of the people we serve," WhatsApp said in a blog post after the ruling.
- The company added it now has a "a long road ahead to collect awarded damages from NSO," but it intends to donate the funds to organizations that are helping defend people against spyware attacks.
What to watch: The spyware industry has only continued to grow since WhatsApp first filed its lawsuit.
- Researchers have warned that many of the most dangerous players now are small companies that few know anything about.
Go deeper: Spyware company NSO Group tries to makes its case in Washington
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from NSO Group.
