Pegasus Scandal: Meta Wins Case Against NSO, Apple Previously Backed Down

Meta has taught Apple a lesson in patience and perseverance in an area—privacy defense—where Apple was expected to be the exemplary model. NSO Group was ordered to pay $444,719 in reparations and $167.25 million in punitive damages.

The verdict concludes a lawsuit initiated in 2019. Meta identified that unknown security vulnerabilities in iOS and Android were exploited via WhatsApp to install spyware on devices belonging to journalists, activists, political opposition leaders, and government heads, including the French presidency. These individuals were targeted by NSO’s state clients.

During the trial, NSO was forced to disclose some of its clients’ names: Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan, to name a few. Once Pegasus spyware infiltrated a phone, it could access data from apps, and remotely activate the camera and microphone, all without any interaction from the user, such as clicking a link.

NSO consistently denied any illegal activities, claiming that its software was only used by its clients for fighting crime or terrorism. But Meta was not alone in its legal battles against NSO. Apple, too, pursued legal action against NSO in 2021, filing a complaint and accusing the firm of being “responsible for the surveillance and targeting” of its users via the Messages app.

Last fall, quietly, Apple requested the dismissal of its lawsuit, arguing that it was impossible for its lawyers to obtain essential documents from NSO. This came weeks after The Guardian exposed that Israeli authorities had raided NSO’s offices possibly to seize documents that could be incriminating for various parties involved.

While Apple may not have shown the same determination as Meta to secure a conviction against NSO, it has gradually enhanced the security features of iOS and introduced a “Lockdown Mode” to protect users most at risk of targeted hacks. Occasionally, like Meta, Apple also alerts users about potential infections on their devices, a practice not exclusive to NSO (another company, Paragon, engages in similar activities). NSO has left open the possibility of appealing this judgment.

Apple unveils a “Lockdown Mode” to significantly reduce attacks on iPhones and Macs