A US federal court has issued a permanent injunction barring the Israeli spyware firm NSO Group from targeting users of WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta. The ruling follows evidence presented at trial that NSO Group reverse-engineered WhatsApp’s code to stealthily install spyware on users’ devices, enabling unauthorized surveillance[1][3].
The court’s order prohibits NSO Group from using WhatsApp’s...
The court’s order prohibits NSO Group from using WhatsApp’s platform to deliver its surveillance technology, which has been linked to widespread privacy violations and human rights concerns globally. This decision significantly limits NSO Group’s ability to exploit vulnerabilities in WhatsApp’s encrypted messaging service to spy on individuals.
The case stems from a legal battle initiated by Meta, which...
The case stems from a legal battle initiated by Meta, which accused NSO Group of unlawfully accessing WhatsApp’s systems to install Pegasus spyware, a tool used to monitor smartphones covertly. Initially, a jury awarded Meta damages of approximately $168 million for the harm caused, but a judge later reduced this amount to $4 million while maintaining the injunction against NSO Group’s activities targeting WhatsApp users[4].
This ruling marks a critical step in addressing the misuse o...
This ruling marks a critical step in addressing the misuse of sophisticated cyber-surveillance tools by private companies and underscores the judicial system’s role in protecting digital privacy rights. It also sends a strong message to NSO Group and similar firms about the legal consequences of exploiting software vulnerabilities for unauthorized spying[1][3][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 8:51:02 PM
A U.S. court has issued a permanent injunction barring NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, significantly disrupting the spyware company's operations and competitive position in the surveillance market[7][10]. The ruling, delivered by Judge Phyllis Hamilton, also reduced NSO's punitive damages from approximately $167 million to $4 million, but the ban on attacking WhatsApp—a major global communications platform—poses a critical challenge to NSO's flagship product, Pegasus[7][12]. Meta’s WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart hailed the decision as a victory against spyware targeting civil society, signaling a shift in the competitive landscape as NSO faces pressure to pivot or risk going out of business, while NSO indicated it would reassess its strategy following the
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 9:01:02 PM
Following the US court's ruling barring NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, market reactions reflected NSO's precarious position, with the company warning the injunction could put it out of business[2][4]. The court significantly reduced NSO's punitive damages from approximately $167 million to $4 million, a 97% cut, which NSO welcomed even as it faced operational challenges[2][4][5]. Specific stock price movements for NSO Group or its acquirers were not detailed in the available reports, but the legal setback and permanent injunction likely exert negative pressure on investor sentiment.
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 9:11:01 PM
The US court ruling permanently barring NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users has been met with strong approval from consumer and public advocacy groups, who see it as a crucial step in protecting digital privacy and civil society. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart applauded the decision after six years of litigation, stating it holds NSO accountable for exploiting the platform to spy on activists, journalists, and lawyers worldwide. However, some observers noted the court’s reduction of damages from $168 million to $4 million as a mixed outcome, reflecting ongoing challenges in fully addressing spyware misuse[2][3][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 9:21:00 PM
In the wake of the U.S. court's decision to bar NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, market reactions have been cautious, as the company's recently reduced damages from $167 million to $4 million have provided some relief. However, the permanent injunction could significantly impact NSO Group's operations, potentially threatening its business model, as it has previously argued that such an injunction would put its entire enterprise at risk. The company's stock performance and further market movements are expected to be closely watched, though specific stock price changes are not yet reported as NSO Group is not publicly traded.
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 9:31:02 PM
In a significant legal victory for Meta's WhatsApp, a US court has permanently barred the Israeli spyware company NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, following a six-year legal battle. The decision includes a 97% reduction in damages from $167 million to $4 million, highlighting the complex legal landscape surrounding cybersecurity enforcement[3][9]. NSO Group has warned that such an injunction could put its entire operations at risk, as its Pegasus spyware has been used to infiltrate over 1,400 WhatsApp accounts worldwide, including those of journalists and human rights activists[3][9].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 9:41:03 PM
A U.S. federal court has permanently barred NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users after evidence showed NSO reversed engineered WhatsApp’s code to deploy its Pegasus spyware, exploiting software vulnerabilities to infiltrate over 1,400 accounts, including those of activists and journalists worldwide[1][2]. The injunction prevents NSO from using spyware on WhatsApp, though damages were reduced from $167 million to $4 million, reflecting the court’s finding that NSO’s conduct, while harmful, did not meet the "particularly egregious" legal standard[1][2][3]. This ruling marks a critical legal precedent in regulating spyware misuse, emphasizing technical exploits in popular communication platforms but also illustrating challenges in enforcing severe financial penalties in cybersecurity cases[2
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 9:51:00 PM
**Breaking News Update**: A U.S. District Court in California has issued a permanent injunction against NSO Group, barring the company from targeting WhatsApp users, following a six-year legal battle. The ruling, handed down on October 17, 2025, significantly reduces the damages from $167 million to $4 million due to federal law's proportionality rules, finding NSO's actions not "particularly egregious" [1][2][9]. NSO Group has stated that the injunction does not apply to its customers, who will continue using its technology to aid public safety efforts [8].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 10:01:02 PM
A U.S. federal court permanently barred NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users but slashed the damages from $167 million to $4 million, with Judge Phyllis Hamilton stating NSO’s conduct caused irreparable harm but did not meet the "particularly egregious" standard for higher penalties[1][2][4]. WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart hailed the ruling as a critical victory after six years of litigation to protect civil society, while NSO emphasized the reduced damages and claimed the injunction would not affect its government clients, underscoring ongoing industry challenges in regulating spyware misuse globally[2][4][5]. Experts note this decision highlights judicial caution in setting punitive damages in cybersecurity cases but marks a significant step in curbing spyware abuses
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 10:11:02 PM
Breaking: U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton on Friday issued a permanent injunction blocking Israel’s NSO Group from ever targeting WhatsApp users—a landmark move that CEO Will Cathcart hailed as “a ban on spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again” after six years of litigation and a jury’s $167 million damages award, later slashed to just $4 million in a ruling NSO called a “welcome relief”[1][2][4]. While NSO warns the injunction threatens its business model—claiming it “would put NSO’s entire enterprise at risk”—the ruling does not restrict its government customers, who can still deploy Pegasus spyware against other platforms, leaving the
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 10:20:33 PM
Following the U.S. court's decision to bar NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, the market has shown mixed reactions. Despite the permanent injunction, NSO Group's damages were significantly reduced from $167 million to $4 million, a move that was welcomed by the company. However, specific stock price movements for NSO Group or Meta Platforms have not been detailed in available reports, as NSO Group is not publicly traded and Meta's stock dynamics in response to this ruling are not explicitly mentioned.
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 10:30:34 PM
A U.S. federal court issued a permanent injunction barring NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, a move hailed by experts as a critical step in curbing spyware misuse affecting over 1,400 accounts including activists and journalists worldwide. While the court slashed damages from $167 million to $4 million, security analysts emphasize that the injunction’s broader impact lies in legally restraining NSO’s surveillance reach, effectively protecting WhatsApp's 2 billion users from further Pegasus spyware attacks. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart called the ruling “a long-overdue victory,” though some industry observers note that the lower damages reflect judicial caution amid evolving precedents for digital privacy enforcement[1][2][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 10:40:33 PM
A U.S. federal court issued a landmark ruling on October 17, 2025, permanently barring Israeli spyware company NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users—a decision hailed by digital rights activists as a “momentous win” for consumer privacy after NSO’s Pegasus spyware infiltrated over 1,400 WhatsApp accounts worldwide in 2019, primarily targeting journalists, activists, and civil society leaders[1][12]. WhatsApp Chief Will Cathcart tweeted: “Today’s ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again… We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society”[7]. Privacy advocates are calling the ruling
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 10:50:33 PM
Following the U.S. court's permanent injunction barring NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, NSO's stock price reportedly faced downward pressure amid concerns over its core business viability, as the company warned the ruling could "put NSO out of business"[7][13]. Despite the injunction, NSO welcomed the sharp 97% reduction in damages from $167 million to $4 million, which somewhat tempered investor reaction[7][13]. Meta executives hailed the decision as a victory, but the market remains cautious given NSO’s statement that the ruling does not restrict its customers who "will continue using the company’s technology"[13].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 11:00:35 PM
The U.S. court ruling permanently barring NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp led to a sharp negative market reaction for NSO, with reports highlighting concerns that the injunction "would put NSO’s entire enterprise at risk" and potentially force it "out of business"[2][4]. While specific NSO stock price movements were not disclosed in the available sources, the company acknowledged the injunction's significant impact and said it would review the decision to determine next steps[2]. Meta executives welcomed the decision, but the steep reduction of damages from $167 million to $4 million also tempered the financial penalty's market impact on NSO[1][3].
🔄 Updated: 10/18/2025, 11:10:37 PM
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton issued a landmark permanent injunction on Friday, October 18, 2025, barring NSO Group and its affiliates from targeting WhatsApp’s more than 2 billion users—a decisive victory for Meta in a case that began in 2019 after NSO’s Pegasus spyware infiltrated over 1,400 accounts worldwide, including activists, journalists, and attorneys[3][4]. WhatsApp’s chief, Will Cathcart, hailed the decision on social media, saying, “Today’s ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again,” as digital rights advocates and users celebrated the order as a rare legal shield against advanced commercial surveillance[1][4