Meta’s $168 million court victory against Israeli spyware maker NSO Group has not only concluded a protracted six-year legal battle but also offered an unprecedented look into the shadowy world of cyberespionage, where elite surveillance tools come with multimillion-dollar price tags and state-level buyers.
A California federal jury found NSO guilty of unlawfully hacking WhatsApp servers to target users on behalf of foreign intelligence agencies, awarding Meta both compensatory and punitive damages. The lawsuit, first filed in 2019, became a landmark case for digital privacy advocates and a rare legal showdown against a prominent spyware firm.
Top-Tier Spyware Comes at a High Cost
Testimony revealed that NSO charged European clients about $7 million for access to its spyware platform capable of hacking up to 15 devices simultaneously. For additional capabilities—like hacking phones outside of a client’s national borders—customers paid up to $2 million more, according to Sarit Bizinsky Gil, NSO’s VP of global business operations.
Meta’s attorney Antonio Perez called the software “highly sophisticated” and “extremely expensive,” underscoring the elite and dangerous nature of such tools.
Thousands of Devices Compromised
Between 2018 and 2020, NSO broke into thousands of devices, according to Tamir Gazneli, the company’s VP of R&D. He downplayed the term “spyware,” insisting the tools were used for “intelligence gathering,” not spying on people. In a tense exchange, Perez asked, “You don’t consider the targets people, Mr. Gazneli?” — a question that revealed how NSO distances itself from the ethical weight of its clients’ actions.
U.S. Agencies Paid Millions
Court records showed that the CIA and FBI collectively paid NSO $7.6 million. While prior media reports suggested U.S. involvement, this trial provided the first official financial confirmation, including a CIA-backed spyware purchase for Djibouti and FBI testing efforts.
NSO Continued Hacking During Litigation
Meta alleged that NSO continued to target WhatsApp servers even after the lawsuit was filed, saying the firm “poses a significant threat of ongoing and prospective harm.” Meta is now seeking a permanent injunction to block NSO from accessing its platforms.
This case has not only highlighted the legal vulnerabilities of spyware vendors but also peeled back layers of secrecy surrounding government surveillance contracts, client relationships, and the massive scale of digital intrusions involved.