In a 25-page ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton imposed a permanent injunction preventing NSO from accessing or attempting to breach WhatsApp’s systems. The decision caps years of litigation that began after Meta sued NSO in 2019, alleging that the company’s Pegasus spyware was used to infiltrate the phones of journalists, activists, and political figures through the messaging app.
While the injunction marks a significant win for Meta, the judge simultaneously reduced punitive damages against NSO from about $167 million to $4 million, offering the embattled spyware firm some financial relief.
NSO had warned that an injunction could have existential consequences for its business model. According to court filings cited in the judgment, the company argued that being barred from targeting WhatsApp would “put NSO’s entire enterprise at risk” and potentially “force NSO out of business.”
Pegasus, NSO’s flagship surveillance software, exploits vulnerabilities in popular mobile applications to secretly access user data, messages, and device controls. WhatsApp has historically been one of the most prominent targets of such attacks, which Meta says were used to compromise the accounts of over 1,400 users globally.
Following the ruling, WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart celebrated the outcome on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Today’s ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again. We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society.”
NSO, meanwhile, welcomed the 97% reduction in punitive damages, emphasizing that the injunction applies only to the company itself—not to its government clients, who it claims use its technology to combat crime and terrorism. “Our customers will continue using the company’s technology to help protect public safety,” NSO said in a statement, adding that it would review the court’s decision and “determine its next steps accordingly.”
The ruling adds another chapter to NSO’s turbulent history amid growing international scrutiny over spyware misuse. The company, recently acquired by a group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds, has faced mounting legal and reputational pressures as global regulators tighten oversight of surveillance technology.
The injunction underscores a broader shift in U.S. judicial and regulatory approaches toward digital surveillance tools—one that could reshape the balance between cybersecurity, privacy rights, and national security in the years ahead.