Meta has filed a federal court contempt motion against Israeli spyware company NSO Group, alleging the firm violated a permanent injunction that prohibits it from targeting WhatsApp and its users.
The move comes after WhatsApp disrupted new phishing attempts that Meta linked to NSO Group. The company said the activity resembled earlier spear-phishing campaigns designed to trick users into clicking malicious links that could compromise devices or accounts.
According to Meta, the latest incidents involved so-called “one-click phishing” attacks, in which a single interaction with a malicious link can expose a user to cyber threats without requiring login credentials or additional actions.
Meta alleges violation of court order
Meta said the legal filing seeks to hold NSO Group accountable for allegedly breaching a court injunction issued in 2025. The order barred the spyware company from targeting WhatsApp and its users following a long-running legal dispute between the two firms.
The company said WhatsApp removed test accounts and groups allegedly created by NSO on the platform as part of the latest activity.
NSO Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ongoing scrutiny of spyware operations
NSO Group has faced international scrutiny over its Pegasus spyware, which has been linked by researchers and rights organizations to surveillance activities targeting journalists, activists, politicians, and civil society figures.
The company has repeatedly stated that its technology is intended to help governments combat crime and terrorism.
The United States previously placed NSO Group on a trade blacklist, citing activities considered contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
Legal battle continues
Last year, a U.S. court ordered NSO Group to cease targeting WhatsApp users, a ruling widely viewed as a significant challenge to the company’s operations.
While the court reduced damages awarded to Meta from an initial $167 million to approximately $4 million, the permanent injunction remained in place.
Meta also said that a coalition of civil rights organizations, cybersecurity researchers, privacy advocates, and digital rights groups recently submitted legal briefs supporting the injunction as NSO pursues its appeal.
The latest filing marks another chapter in the ongoing legal and regulatory scrutiny surrounding commercial spyware and digital surveillance technologies.
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