Overview

• A federal jury in California awarded WhatsApp $167.25 million in punitive damages and $444,719 in compensatory damages for NSO Group's hacking activities.
• The case, filed in 2019, centered on NSO's Pegasus spyware, which exploited WhatsApp vulnerabilities to target 1,400 users, including activists and journalists.
• Judge Phyllis Hamilton previously ruled in December 2024 that NSO violated the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California hacking laws.
• Meta plans to seek an injunction to prevent future targeting by NSO and intends to donate the awarded funds to digital rights organizations.
• NSO Group has announced its intent to appeal the verdict, maintaining that its technology is used responsibly to combat crime and terrorism.