WhatsApp Blocks New Attacks by NSO Group Violating Court Order

WhatsApp messenger announced that it had thwarted a new hacking campaign linked to NSO Group, a producer of spyware accused of numerous cyberattacks worldwide. The app, owned by Meta, is accusing NSO of violating a court order prohibiting attacks on WhatsApp and its users, and is seeking to hold the company liable for contempt of court. According to Techcrunch.com reports .

According to a statement released on Monday, an investigation based on user reports identified and stopped phishing attempts linked to NSO. Hackers tried to force users to click on malicious links outside of WhatsApp. The company also announced that it had deleted test accounts and groups created by the attackers.

These attacks are similar to a phishing campaign observed in Jordan in 2024, which aimed to infect user devices with NSO's Pegasus spyware. Last year, as part of a multi-year legal battle between WhatsApp and NSO, the court completely banned the spyware producer from targeting messenger users.

Over the past decade, security researchers and journalists have documented dozens of cases where government hackers used NSO software to breach the phones of opposition figures, human rights activists, and political rivals. In response, the US government blacklisted NSO and imposed sanctions on other spyware producers.

Although NSO Group is currently trying to enter the American market and restore its reputation, the US Department of Commerce is in no hurry to remove the company from the restrictions list. Meanwhile, WhatsApp continues to disclose cyberattacks and introduce new security features to protect its users.