A federal judge has granted Meta-owned WhatsApp's request for a permanent injunction to prevent Israeli cyberintelligence company NSO Group from targeting users of the messaging app. At the same time, the judge significantly reduced the fine that NSO Group had to pay to Mehta.
Earlier this year, a jury ruled that the cyber intelligence company must pay Meta more than $167 million following a 2019 campaign that targeted more than 1,400 WhatsApp users, including human rights activists and journalists.
However, U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled Friday that because the court did not have enough evidence to find NSO Group's conduct “particularly egregious,” the punitive damages ratio would be capped at 9:1 and the award would be reduced to about $4 million.
In a statement provided to Courthouse News Service, WhatsApp chief Will Cathart said the ruling “prevents spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and its users around the world again.”
“We applaud this decision, which comes after six years of litigation to hold NSOs accountable for targeting members of civil society,” Catalto said.
NSO Group recently confirmed that it will be acquired by US investors.