Security News > 2020 > July > Judge green-lights Facebook, WhatsApp hacking lawsuit against spyware biz NSO, unleashing Zuck's lawyers

Facebook won a significant legal victory on Thursday when the judge hearing the lawsuit against Israeli spyware maker NSO Group declined to dismiss the case - and allowed the crucial discovery process to move forward.

Last October, Facebook and its WhatsApp subsidiary sued NSO Group, and its Q Cyber Technologies affiliate, in the Northern District of California.

The judge tossed that claim because Facebook and WhatsApp haven't demonstrated that "Any WhatsApp customer was deprived or denied access to the WhatsApp system."

"We are pleased with the Court's decision permitting us to move ahead with our claims that NSO engaged in unlawful conduct," a WhatsApp spokesperson said in an email to The Register.

"The decision also confirms that WhatsApp will be able to obtain relevant documents and other information about NSO's practices. Today, we are one step closer to holding NSO accountable for attacking WhatsApp and its users, including journalists, human rights activists, and government officials."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/07/17/facebook_whatsapp_nsa/