Overview
- The jury awarded $167.3 million in punitive damages and $444,719 in compensatory damages to Meta's WhatsApp unit for the 2019 hack.
- NSO Group exploited a zero-click vulnerability in WhatsApp to install Pegasus spyware on devices, targeting journalists, activists, and officials in over 20 countries.
- This ruling follows a December 2024 judgment finding NSO in violation of U.S. anti-hacking laws and marks the first legal victory against an illicit spyware vendor.
- WhatsApp plans to seek an injunction to prevent future targeting by NSO and to donate any recovered damages to organizations combating spyware.
- NSO has announced plans to appeal the verdict, maintaining that its technology is used responsibly by government clients to prevent crime and terrorism.