Big Verdict. Bigger Message.

A U.S. jury has ordered Israeli spyware-maker NSO Group to pay $168 million in damages for its 2019 Pegasus attack on WhatsApp.

Meta’s lawsuit wasn’t about headlines—it was about accountability. The court had already found NSO liable under U.S. computer fraud laws. The jury’s role was to decide the cost of that misconduct. The answer: a significant one.

This case marks a turning point. For the first time, a spyware developer faces massive punitive damages—not for a security failure, but for targeting journalists, activists, and diplomats with weaponized code.

NSO claims to support public safety. The jury found malice, not mission.

The implications extend beyond California:

• Private spyware vendors are now on legal notice.
• Digital privacy violations carry real financial risk.
• U.S. courts are prepared to hold foreign tech companies accountable.

Whether Meta collects the damages is secondary. The message is clear: spyware has consequences. And Israel’s tech sector should heed this message because the verdict isn’t just a legal milestone—it’s a reputational one.