WhatsApp Wins $167M Lawsuit Against Israeli Spyware Company

NSO Group, which has consistently denied wrongdoing, left open the possibility of an appeal.

By DTD- On May 7, 2025

ISLAMABAD: A US jury has ordered Israeli spyware firm NSO Group to pay over $167 million in punitive damages to WhatsApp over a 2019 cyberattack that compromised the accounts of more than 1,400 users. The decision follows a five-year legal battle initiated by the Meta-owned messaging service.

In addition to the punitive damages, NSO Group has been ordered to pay approximately $445,000 in compensatory damages, covering the costs incurred by WhatsApp to investigate and remediate the breach.

How it Started

WhatsApp filed the lawsuit in 2019, accusing NSO Group of exploiting a vulnerability in its voice calling feature to install Pegasus spyware on users’ devices. The victims reportedly included human rights defenders, journalists, and political dissidents. WhatsApp claimed the intrusion violated both federal and California anti-hacking laws and WhatsApp’s terms of service.

Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled in December 2024 that NSO Group had indeed violated the law and WhatsApp’s service agreement. That judgment cleared the way for the jury trial to assess financial penalties.

WhatsApp’s Response

WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah called the jury’s decision historic. “Our court case has made history as the first victory against illegal spyware that threatens the safety and privacy of everyone,” Alsawah said in a statement. She emphasized that the ruling sends a message to the surveillance-for-hire industry that illegal spying will not go unpunished.

Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, previously described the lawsuit as a wake-up call for both tech companies and governments. He reiterated that surveillance tools like Pegasus pose a broad risk to digital privacy and civil liberties.

NSO Group’s Response

NSO Group, which has consistently denied wrongdoing, left open the possibility of an appeal. Company spokesperson Gil Lainer stated that the firm would “carefully examine the verdict’s details and pursue appropriate legal remedies, including further proceedings and an appeal.”