The Israeli company behind the development of Pegasus spyware has been ordered to pay WhatsApp 167 million dollars for hacking 1,400 users in 2019.
Pegasus is malicious software that can be remotely installed on mobile phones, allowing it to access people’s microphones and cameras, among other things.
The NSO Group, which offers the technology, has been accused of enabling authoritarian regimes to monitor journalists, activists, and even political people.
According to Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, this was the “first victory against the development and use of illegal spyware”.
NSO said it would “carefully examine the verdict’s details and pursue appropriate legal remedies, including further proceedings and an appeal“.
NSO Group has also been ordered to pay Meta $444,000 in damages for costs tied to investigating the breach, securing systems, and mitigating reputational harm.
The awards come after a six-year battle between both sides.
It is the first time a developer of spyware has been held responsible for exploiting the weaknesses in smartphone platforms.
