A federal decide has granted Meta-owned WhatsApp’s request for a everlasting injunction blocking Israeli cyberintelligence firm NSO Group from focusing on the messaging app’s customers. On the similar time, the decide dramatically diminished the high-quality that NSO Group should pay to Meta.
Earlier this yr, a jury determined that the cyberintelligence firm must pay Meta greater than $167 million following a 2019 marketing campaign that focused greater than 1,400 WhatsApp customers, together with human rights activists and journalists.
Nonetheless, U.S. District Decide Phyllis Hamilton ruled Friday that as a result of the court docket didn’t have sufficient proof to find out that NSO Group’s habits was “notably egregious,” the punitive damages ratio was capped at 9 to 1, lowering the fee to round $4 million.
In an announcement provided to Courthouse News Service, Head of WhatsApp Will Cathart mentioned the ruling “bans spyware and adware maker NSO from ever focusing on WhatsApp and our world customers once more.”
“We applaud this choice that comes after six years of litigation to carry NSO accountable for focusing on members of civil society,” Cathart mentioned.
NSO Group just lately confirmed that it’s being acquired by U.S. buyers.
