WhatsApp says the spyware fight with NSO Group is not over. In a new WhatsApp spyware update, Meta says it caught and disrupted NSO-linked spear phishing attempts aimed at WhatsApp users.
The company is now asking a federal court to hold NSO in contempt. Meta says the attempts violated a permanent injunction that barred the spyware maker from targeting WhatsApp and its users.
WhatsApp said the activity involved social engineering. The attackers tried to push people toward malicious links outside WhatsApp. Meta also said it found test accounts and groups linked to the operation and took them down.
Why the court fight matters
This case traces back to WhatsApp’s 2019 lawsuit over Pegasus spyware. Meta says its earlier court win against NSO produced a landmark verdict and a permanent injunction against the company.
NSO Group is also on the US Commerce Department’s Entity List. The government said the company supplied spyware used to target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics, and embassy workers.
- WhatsApp says it disrupted NSO-linked spear phishing attempts.
- Meta is seeking a federal court contempt order.
- The previous injunction barred NSO from targeting WhatsApp and its users.
- Meta says spyware remains a national security threat.
Spyware is bigger than WhatsApp
Meta’s warning is broader than one app. The company says surveillance-for-hire vendors keep searching for ways into phones, including browsers, operating systems, and other apps.
That framing matters because spyware attacks often focus on high-risk people first. Reported targets have included journalists, dissidents, government officials, military personnel, and humanitarian groups.
Meta also said it is supporting the Spyware Accountability Initiative, a fund for digital rights groups, forensic researchers, and user support teams working against spyware abuse.
What WhatsApp users should know
WhatsApp says personal messages and calls remain protected by default end-to-end encryption. The new claim is about attempts to lure targets to malicious links outside the app, not a public claim that normal WhatsApp chats were broken.
The practical takeaway is simple: the NSO fight is still active, and spyware vendors keep adapting. For more coverage of cyber threats and privacy tools, follow Tech My Money’s Security section.
