Court orders maker of Pegasus spyware to hand over code to WhatsApp

A US court has ordered NSO Group, the Israeli creators of Pegasus spyware, to submit their software code to WhatsApp as part of an ongoing lawsuit.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, accused NSO in 2019 of using Pegasus to target 1,400 of its users. Despite NSO's plea citing US and Israeli regulations, Judge Phyllis Hamilton mandated NSO to provide spyware details, excluding client identities and server information.

WhatsApp views this as a significant step towards safeguarding users from illicit surveillance. NSO, facing scrutiny after a US blacklist for detrimental activities to American interests, claims its spyware assists in combating serious crimes, though reports suggest various nations have misused it against activists and journalists.

The Biden administration has expressed concerns over spyware abuse and is implementing visa restrictions against individuals involved in such misconduct. The legal battle with NSO continues.