Meta sues NSO for contempt over WhatsApp injunction

Meta is filing a federal court contempt order against Israeli spyware firm NSO Group, alleging the company violated a permanent injunction that barred it from targeting WhatsApp and its users. The legal action, announced on Monday, follows WhatsApp's recent detection and disruption of a new spear-phishing campaign linked to NSO.

According to Meta, WhatsApp identified and neutralized a cluster of accounts attempting to trick users into clicking on malicious links. The company described the attempts as "1-click" phishing campaigns, where a single click could compromise a device. Meta stated that the campaign targeted fewer than 10 WhatsApp users, primarily in Jordan and Lebanon, and that it found no signs of compromise among those identified. The company disabled test accounts and groups created by the attackers on its platform and has shared associated domain names to help others check for targeting.

This incident marks the latest development in a legal battle dating to 2019, when Meta sued NSO for allegedly exploiting a vulnerability to deliver its Pegasus spyware to journalists, human rights activists, and others. In a 2025 ruling, a court found NSO liable and issued a...