Meta takes NSO to court again regarding WhatsApp spyware.

      Meta believed it had effectively removed the threat posed by NSO Group, but it claims the spyware company did not take the warning seriously. The tech giant is now pursuing a federal court contempt order against NSO, the Israeli developer of the Pegasus hacking tool, alleging that the firm has breached a permanent injunction prohibiting it from targeting WhatsApp or its users.

      According to Meta, it has disrupted new attacks during this process: fresh spear-phishing attempts associated with NSO that were thwarted by dismantling test accounts and groups that the company had established on the platform. The attacks were said to echo NSO's previous “1-click” operations—where a single tap on a malicious link can compromise a device without requiring a password. These links aimed to entice WhatsApp users to external websites. NSO did not provide a comment when approached.

      This development is the latest chapter in an ongoing battle between the two entities. Last year, a US court mandated that NSO cease its targeting of WhatsApp, a ruling that the spyware firm cautioned could jeopardize its business. Although the judge significantly reduced the punitive damages owed by NSO to Meta from an initial $167 million to $4 million, the critical aspect was the injunction demanding that NSO simply stop its activities.

      Meta's contempt filing asserts that NSO has disregarded this order. NSO is contesting the injunction, and Meta is not alone in this fight. Last month, a coalition of 12 civil rights organizations, along with security researchers, privacy advocates, and experts in digital rights, filed amicus briefs supporting Meta against NSO’s appeal. This case raises a broader issue: whether a company that has been blacklisted by the US government and accused of facilitating human rights violations through Pegasus can be compelled to cease its actions.

      For Meta, the implications extend to its reputation. It has been actively promoting WhatsApp as a privacy-centric platform and implementing new anti-scam measures, all while dealing with its own security challenges and a series of unrelated lawsuits. A messaging app trusted by over two billion users cannot afford to appear vulnerable to commercial spyware.

      What complicates efforts to dismantle the spyware industry is precisely what Meta is now confronting in court: a clear legal order may not deter a resolute vendor, but it can increase the consequences of getting caught. By filing for contempt and publicizing the thwarted attacks, Meta communicates its commitment to continue exposing such activities.