WhatsApp forced NSO Group to share secret code of Pegasus spyware

WhatsApp has won a long-running court case against spyware maker NSO Group and forced the company to reveal its secret code used in their Pegasus product.

Here's What We Know

The victory comes after WhatsApp fought for years to gain access to the Pegasus code after it was revealed that the software was used to spy on messenger users. According to WhatsApp, the court's decision reflects an important step towards protecting users' privacy and preventing illegal attacks on private data.

WhatsApp claimed that Pegasus could intercept messages sent and received on the device, including those transmitted via platforms such as iMessage, Skype, Telegram, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and others. In addition, it was noted that this software can be configured for various purposes, including intercepting communications, taking screenshots and extracting browser history.

The court ruled that WhatsApp should have access to the full functionality of Pegasus to understand how the software accesses and extracts data. NSO Group has not yet commented on this decision.

The court rejected the request for specific information regarding the NSO Group's server architecture and decided that NSO Group is not obliged to disclose the identity of its customers. Further developments in the trial are due to take place on 3 March 2025.

Source: Ars Technica