WhatsApp says spyware maker NSO Group still targeting its users

Meta has escalated its long-running legal battle against Israeli cyber-intelligence firm NSO Group, requesting a federal court to hold the spyware maker in contempt for allegedly continuing to target WhatsApp users in direct violation of a permanent injunction.

The filing comes less than a year after a judge finalized a multi-million dollar judgment against NSO Group, which included a strict, permanent ban prohibiting the company from targeting WhatsApp or its user base. Meta claims it recently intercepted and disrupted a fresh spearphishing campaign linked to the creators of the infamous Pegasus spyware.

According to a Meta spokesperson, the company detected a cluster of NSO-associated accounts attempting to trick users into clicking malicious links. The latest campaign reportedly targeted fewer than 10 WhatsApp users, who are primarily located in Jordan and Lebanon.

"We have not seen signs of compromise among identified targets," the spokesperson confirmed, adding that Meta has publicly disclosed the domains associated with the phishing attempt to help security researchers and users check for potential targeting across various platforms.

The legal feud between the tech giant and the spyware firm dates back to 2019, when Meta first sued NSO Group for leveraging WhatsApp vulnerabilities to target journalists, human rights activists, and political dissidents. While a jury initially awarded Meta $167 million in damages last year, the amount was later reduced by a judge to $4 million alongside the implementation of the permanent injunction.

NSO Group has not yet issued a public comment regarding Meta's latest legal filing or the allegations of violating the court order.