U.S. Asks NSO Group to Disclose Code Related to Pegasus Spyware

Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, filed a lawsuit against NSO Group in 2019. The lawsuit claims that NSO took advantage of a vulnerability in WhatsApp to install the Pegasus spyware on specific user devices without their permission.

Threat actors employ Pegasus Spyware for its advanced capabilities to infiltrate smartphones, enabling covert surveillance remotely.?

Its sophisticated features include zero-click exploits and silent data extraction, making it a powerful tool for espionage and monitoring targeted individuals without their knowledge or consent.

The US court recently ordered the NSO Group to give Pegasus spyware details to WhatsApp. Amnesty International sees this as a step towards accountability for 1,400 affected users.

Here's what Donncha O Cearbhaill, the Head of the Security Lab at Amnesty International, stated:-

"This decision brings us a step closer towards accountability for up to 1,400 WhatsApp users targeted with Pegasus spyware in this case, as well as the countless other individuals around the world, who have continued to be targeted since this case was filed in 2019. This court order sends a clear signal to the surveillance industry that it cannot continue to enable spyware abuse with impunity."

"While the court’s decision is a positive development, it is disappointing that NSO Group will be allowed to continue keeping the identity of its clients, who are responsible for this unlawful targeting, secret."

The NSO Group claims Pegasus is sold only to governments. The Security Lab of NSO revealed widespread use against human rights defenders and journalists.?

Besides this, the targets must find the buyer who deployed the spyware against them for meaningful redress and justice.

The court order is related to a litigation that is now pending, whereby WhatsApp claims that 1,400 of its users were victims of spyware developed by NSO Group.

The court rejected all the attempts by the NSO Group to avoid accountability. However, the legal disclosures pave the overdue path for spyware victims seeking justice.

Moreover, the recent progress in investigations in Poland and Spain reveal the truth about Pegasus' misuse against political opponents.

This is a massive victory for WhatsApp, but other companies in the spyware sector are still operational despite penalties and government pressure, and NSO is also facing litigation along these lines.

Despite the NSO’s assertions that it is solely intended for recognized nations, Pegasus has widely targeted human rights advocates and journalists.

To seek compensation, victims of Pegasus must first determine who is using it.

The decision of Judge Hamilton allows victims of the Pegasus spyware to take legal action by suing WhatsApp to uncover the identity of the malware’s deployer.

You can read the court document here.