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Pegasus Spyware Case: Meta messaging app WhatsApp has won a major legal battle against NSO Group Technologies in the US court over Pegasus spyware. NSO Group was accused of hacking the phones of 1,400 people with Pegasus spyware in two weeks in May 2019. This includes journalists, human rights activists and government officials.
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Pegasus spyware is known to secretly monitor and collect information on any phone or electronic device. It was used by WhatsApp to steal information related to people.
US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton has ruled in favor of WhatsApp, finding NSO Group guilty of violating state and federal hacking laws. The court also said, ‘NSO Group has violated WhatsApp’s Terms of Service and the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, dealing a major blow to the spyware maker.’
In the decision, District Judge Phyllis Hamilton said, ‘NSO Group obstructed the legal process because it did not provide the source code of Pegasus spyware to WhatsApp, although it was ordered to do so in early 2024. Instead, the company made the code available only in Israel and restricted it to Israeli citizens only.’
Notably, NSO Group will now face a jury trial in March 2025 to determine how much compensation it should pay WhatsApp.