NSO Group, the maker of spyware, must pay more than $167 million in damages to WhatsApp for a 2019 hacking campaign that targeted over 1,400 users.
After a five-year legal battle, a jury awarded WhatsApp $167,254,000 in punitive damages and approximately $444,719 in compensatory damages. This marks a significant legal victory for WhatsApp, which had initially sought more than $400,000 in compensatory damages to cover the costs of investigating and fixing the vulnerabilities exploited by NSO Group.
WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah stated, “Our court case has made history as the first victory against illegal spyware that threatens the safety and privacy of everyone.” He emphasized that the ruling is a crucial step forward for privacy and security, serving as a deterrent to the malicious spyware industry.
NSO Group’s spokesperson, Gil Lainer, indicated the possibility of an appeal, stating, “We will carefully examine the verdict’s details and pursue appropriate legal remedies.”
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The trial revealed significant information about the victims of the 2019 spyware campaign and identified some of NSO Group’s customers. This ruling concludes the legal battle that began over five years ago when WhatsApp accused NSO Group of accessing its servers and exploiting a vulnerability to target individuals, including dissidents and journalists.
Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, described the lawsuit as a wake-up call for technology companies and users regarding the misuse of surveillance tools. Last December, Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled that NSO Group violated federal and California hacking laws, as well as WhatsApp’s terms of service.
Following the December ruling, Cathcart celebrated the outcome as a significant win for privacy, asserting that illegal spying would not be tolerated. The jury trial to determine damages has now concluded, further damaging NSO Group’s reputation and efforts to conceal its business activities.
SOURCE: TECH CRUNCH
