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Israeli Spy Firm Ordered to Pay WhatsApp $168 Million

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• Technology • • 1 min read • 0% read

An Israeli spyware firm must pay WhatsApp $168 million for exploiting the app to install spyware on users' devices. The software targeted journalists and activists, despite claims it was for counterterrorism.

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An Israeli spyware company has been ordered to pay WhatsApp nearly $168 million (approximately €148 million) by a U.S. jury. The lawsuit revealed that the Israeli firm, NSO Group, exploited WhatsApp to install spyware on smartphones without users' knowledge.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, filed the lawsuit in 2019 after discovering that NSO Group's Pegasus spyware had been used to target over a thousand individuals. Pegasus can remotely activate cameras and microphones, track locations, and access photos and videos.

The spyware was installed via a vulnerability in WhatsApp, which the company later patched. While NSO claims its software is intended for combating terrorism and serious crime, it has also been used against journalists, activists, and politicians.

Meta has stated it plans to donate the awarded damages to organizations fighting spyware abuse. The legal battle is ongoing, with Meta seeking a permanent injunction to prevent NSO from targeting WhatsApp users in the future.

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