NSO Group fined $167M for spyware attacks on 1,400 WhatsApp users

A U.S. federal jury has ordered Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group to pay WhatsApp $167,254,000 in punitive damages and $444,719 in compensatory damages for a 2019 campaign that targeted 1,400 users of the communication app. The verdict is considered a landmark case for being the first time a spyware vendor is held accountable in court, and could send ripples across the commercial spyware industry. "Today's verdict in WhatsApp's case is an important step forward for privacy and security as the first victory against the development and use of illegal spyware that threatens the safety and privacy of everyone," commented Meta, WhatsApp's owner, in an announcement. "Today, the jury's decision to force NSO, a notorious foreign spyware merchant, to pay damages is a critical deterrent to this malicious industry against their illegal acts aimed at American companies and the privacy and security of the people we serve." The fines stem from a May 2019 campaign when NSO attempted to infect 1,40 ... Read full article.