Meta wins more than $167 million in damages from spyware maker that targeted WhatsApp

A jury has ruled that the company behind the infamous Pegasus spyware must pay Meta more than $167 million in damages for spreading malware via WhatsApp. Meta sued the NSO Group in 2019 over its Pegasus spyware. Tuesday’s verdict followed a week-long jury trial to determine just how much NSO should pay in damages to Meta. The jury ultimately awarded Meta $444,719 in compensatory damages and $167,254,000 in punitive damages. He added that Meta plans to pursue a court order to prevent NSO from targeting WhatsApp in the future.