NSO Group’s $167M WhatsApp Blunder: The Price of Spying Gone Wrong
NSO Group must cough up $167M to WhatsApp for the 2019 hack that targeted over 1,400 users. After five years of courtroom drama, the jury ruled NSO’s spyware antics a tad too illegal. WhatsApp celebrates a privacy win while NSO plans to keep those lawyers busy with appeals.
Hot Take:
NSO Group just got an expensive lesson on the real cost of playing hide and seek with the law. Spoiler alert: it’s $167 million plus change in compensatory damages. Who knew espionage could be such a costly hobby? Just goes to show, messing with people’s privacy can really put a dent in your wallet. Maybe this will finally convince NSO to try something a little more legal… like baking cookies?
Key Points:
– NSO Group ordered to pay WhatsApp over $167 million for using Pegasus spyware.
– Over 1,400 users were targeted in a 2019 hack exploiting WhatsApp vulnerabilities.
– The court found NSO in violation of U.S. laws, including the CFAA and CDAFA.
– NSO failed to provide key evidence, leading to additional sanctions.
– Meta highlighted the broader threat of NSO’s spyware to multiple platforms.