WhatsApp has won a major court case against NSO Group, the Israeli spyware maker behind Pegasus. A jury in California ordered NSO to pay over $167 million in damages after a week-long trial.
The case began in 2019, when WhatsApp accused NSO of hacking more than 1,400 users using a flaw in WhatsApp’s voice call feature.
Here are seven key revelations from the trial:
1. The spyware attack needed no clicks
NSO’s Pegasus spyware worked through a zero-click attack. A fake WhatsApp call triggered the user’s phone to download spyware—just using the phone number. No taps or clicks were needed.
2. NSO tested Pegasus on a U.S. number
NSO had long claimed Pegasus couldn’t target U.S. phone numbers. But in court, NSO admitted it made a special version of Pegasus to test on an American number for the FBI. The FBI reportedly chose not to use it.
3. NSO’s government clients didn’t choose the hack method
NSO’s CEO said clients didn’t pick how Pegasus hacked devices. The software automatically selected the best exploit each time.
4. NSO’s office shares a building with Apple
In a strange twist, NSO’s headquarters in Israel shares the same building as Apple, whose iPhones are frequent Pegasus targets. “We share the same elevator,” said NSO’s CEO during testimony.
5. NSO kept attacking WhatsApp users during the lawsuit
Even after WhatsApp sued NSO, the spyware maker continued targeting users until at least May 2020. The attack tools had code names like Erised, Eden, and Heaven, grouped under “Hummingbird.”
6. NSO Group employs 350+ people
The company and its parent Q Cyber have around 350 to 380 employees, including about 50 in Q Cyber.
7. NSO is losing money fast
NSO revealed it lost $9 million in 2023 and $12 million in 2024. It has only $5.1 million in the bank and spends $10 million monthly, mostly on salaries. Yet, its clients pay between $3 million and $30 million for Pegasus access.
Despite its financial troubles, the jury still held NSO accountable. WhatsApp’s legal win is a major moment in the fight against commercial spyware.
