Facebook has filed a case against the Israeli cyber surveillance firm NSO Group on the latter's use of WhatsApp to spread spyware to 1,400 mobile devices in 20 countries between April and May. The spying targeted 100 journalists, some famous female leaders, human rights activists, and political dissenters.
However, Facebook did not mention who the NSO's client was on the attacks on devices mostly located in Mexico, Bahrain, and the UAE. WhatsApp has further accused NSO used Pegasus software to tamper US-based servers to spy.
The WhatsApp messaging application is seen on a phone screen August 3, 2017.
Particularly, NSO has reportedly used the QuadraNet, a Los Angeles hosting service, for over 700 times to afflict malware on users, which also involved an Amazon server. This refuted NSO's claims that it could not operate in the United States as well as asserts the reports that it is a hacking company rather than developing software.
The Facebook legal team also sought to shoot down NSO's beliefs that it's out of the jurisdiction and that it has immunity due to its government clientele. Lawyers noted that the company hadn't named a specific country buying its surveillance offerings, or any other proof that it couldn't be held responsible for what its clients did. It was trying to "cloak" itself in the immunity of its customers, attorneys said.
A spokesperson for NSO didn't directly address the latest claims and instead repeated earlier remarks, saying that it "does not operate" Pegasus for customers and that it can't be used against devices or phone numbers inside the U.S.
If WhatsApp's accusations are true, the NSO Group may be in huge trouble as the involvement of U.S. servers would have great chances of the lawsuit moving forward.
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NSO faces serious charges
Meanwhile, the NSO Group, in a statement sent to Engadget, has strongly denied the charges regarding its involvement in the attacks. It also defended Pegasus, NSO's surveillance technology, which is being sold to governments worldwide.
The statement also upholds NSO's sole purpose "to provide technology to licensed government intelligence and law enforcement agencies" in their fight against crimes and terrorism.
"Our technology is not designed or licensed for use against human rights activists and journalists. It has helped to save thousands of lives over recent years," the statement added.
Victims of WhatsApp attacks receive calls, and they do not even need to pick up their phones to get infected by Pegasus. The spyware cannot break WhatsApp's encryption, but it can access the messages after being decrypted on the receiver's device.
Last year, the NSO Group previously confirmed that Pegasus was used to target a British lawyer who contacted Citizen Lab and started the probe leading to this lawsuit. The said lawyer represented those who accused NSO of providing the tools to hack the phones of a Saudi Arabian dissident, Mexican journalists, among others. However, the company denied that it uses its own technology to "target any person or organization."
WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said the company is confident that NSO was behind the attacks. "We have tied certain WhatsApp accounts used during the attacks back to NSO. While their attack was highly sophisticated, their attempts to cover their tracks were not entirely successful," Cathcart added.
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