Meta awarded $167.25 million over Pegasus spyware attack

is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. NSO Group, the Israeli spyware-maker behind Pegasus, must pay Meta $167.25 million for hacking 1,400 users across WhatsApp. A federal jury in California made the decision on Tuesday after the court found the NSO Group liable for the attacks last year. Meta sued NSO Group in 2019 after Citizen Lab found a vulnerability that allowed the spyware vendor to install Pegasus through a phone call – even if users didn’t pick up. Pegasus could then turn on a user’s camera and microphone, look through emails and text messages, and access location information. The hack targeted activists, journalists, diplomats, and others. Apple has also sued the NSO Group for targeting iPhone users with Pegasus. The jury also awarded Meta $444,719 in compensatory damages. “Today’s verdict in WhatsApp’s case is an important step forward for privacy and security as ... Read full article.