A United States judge has granted an injunction barring Israeli spyware maker the NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users, saying the firm's software causes direct harm but slashed an earlier damages award of $168m to just $4m. In a ruling on Friday granting WhatsApp owner Meta an injunction to stop NSO's spyware from being used in the messaging service, district judge Phyllis Hamilton said the Israeli firm's conduct causes irreparable harm, adding that there was no dispute that the conduct is ongoing.
The ruling, issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, gives the state at least another week, until Oct. 22, to make its case in court. Without the order, the DHS could have allowed the money to be returned to the U.S. Treasury. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the agency last month, claiming the funding cut was illegal and politically motivated. Gov. Kathy Hochul joined the lawsuit, saying the decision threatened the safety of millions of daily riders.
