A U.S. federal court has ordered Israeli spyware firm NSO Group to pay nearly $170 million to WhatsApp and its parent company Meta for hacking around 1,400 accounts in 2019.
The court awarded $167 million in punitive damages and over $440,000 in compensatory damages after just one day of jury deliberation.
“Today’s verdict in WhatsApp’s case is an important step forward for privacy and security,” Meta said.
NSO’s Pegasus software was used to surveil civil society members via WhatsApp’s video call system. Meta said it plans to block NSO from targeting the platform again and will donate to digital rights groups.
NSO Group’s Gil Lainer called the ruling “another step in a lengthy judicial process,” adding that the firm “remains committed to technologies that protect public safety.”
Citizen Lab’s John Scott-Railton tweeted, “NSO Group emerges from the trial severely damaged… This will scare customers.”