NSO Group, a maker of advanced cyberweapons, has been instructed by a US court to provide WhatsApp with the code for its Pegasus and other spyware products as part of an ongoing legal battle.
The ruling, issued by Judge Phyllis Hamilton, deals a significant blow to WhatsApp, owned by Mehta, who has been in a legal dispute with NSO since 2019 over allegations that the Israeli company’s spyware targeted 1,400 WhatsApp users over a two-year period, marking a major legal victory that lasted weeks.
NSO’s Pegasus code and other surveillance product codes sold by the company are considered highly classified national secrets. NSO is overseen by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, which must authorize all sales of licenses to foreign governments.
Despite NSO’s request to be exempt from the case’s discovery obligations due to US and Israeli restrictions, Judge Hamilton sided with WhatsApp. She ordered NSO to produce the spyware code and provide information on relevant spyware features used during a specified period.
However, on another issue, Hamilton ruled in favor of NSO, exempting the company from disclosing client names or server architecture details at this time.
A spokesperson for WhatsApp celebrated the court’s decision, stating that it marks a significant step in protecting users from illegal attacks by spyware companies. NSO declined to comment, and the legal battle continues.
NSO’s Pegasus software, once deployed against a target, grants unauthorized access to calls, emails, photos, location, and encrypted messages on mobile phones. The Biden administration blacklisted NSO in 2021, citing actions contrary to US foreign policy and national security interests.
NSO sells spyware to governments worldwide, claiming that the deploying agency is responsible for its use. Investigations have revealed countries like Poland, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, India, Hungary, and the UAE using NSO technology against dissidents, journalists, activists, and civil society members.
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NSO argues that Pegasus aids law enforcement and intelligence agencies in combating crime, protecting national security, and apprehending terrorists, child abusers, and violent criminals.
Concerned about the proliferation and misuse of products like Pegasus, the Biden administration announced a new policy imposing global visa restrictions on individuals involved in exploiting commercial spyware, extending to EU member states and Israel.
Source: www.theguardian.com
