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US court orders Israeli spyware firm to stop targeting WhatsApp | The Express Tribune
NSO, for years, has been accused of facilitating human rights abuses through its flagship hacking tool, Pegasus
US judge issues permanent injunction blocking NSO Group from hacking WhatsApp messaging platform. PHOTO: PIXABAY
A US court has ordered Israel’s NSO Group to stop targeting Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp messaging service, a development the spyware company warned could put it out of business.
In a 25-page ruling, handed down Friday, US District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton imposed a permanent injunction on NSO Group’s efforts to break into WhatsApp, one of the world’s most widely used communications platforms.
Hamilton also handed NSO a significant break on the damages awarded in a recently concluded jury trial, reducing the punitive damages it owes Meta from about $167 million to $4 million.
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The injunction is likely to pose a challenge to NSO, which has for years been accused of facilitating human rights abuses through its flagship hacking tool, Pegasus.
Pegasus takes advantage of weaknesses in commonly deployed pieces of software to power its surveillance, making WhatsApp one of its bigger targets.
NSO has previously argued that an injunction preventing it from going after WhatsApp “would put NSO’s entire enterprise at risk” and “force NSO out of business,” according to the judgment.
Meta executives celebrated the decision.
“Today’s ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again,” WhatsApp Chief Will Cathcart said on X. “We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society.”
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NSO, which has long insisted its products fight serious crime and terrorism, said it welcomed the 97% reduction in punitive damages and said that the injunction did not apply to NSO’s customers, “who will continue using the company’s technology to help protect public safety.”
The company said it would review the decision and “determine its next steps accordingly.”
The company was recently purchased by a group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds, according to a report, earlier this month in tech publication TechCrunch. Simonds did not immediately return an email.
It is unusual for a senior figure at the Bank to be so forthright on market movements.
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Consumer confidence has fallen for the third consecutive month amid household “jitters” over rapid price rises, figures show.
GfK’s long-running consumer confidence index fell four points to minus 25 in April, following falls of two points and three points in March and February respectively.
The deepening concern was driven by perceptions of the UK economy, with a six-point slide in confidence for the next 12 months to minus 43, its lowest level since February 2023.
Confidence in personal finances over the coming year fell five points to minus four – one point lower than this time last year.
The major purchase index – an indicator of confidence in buying big ticket items – held steady, albeit at minus 18 but one point better than last April.
The only measure to improve was the savings index – often an indication that households are concerned about their finances and looking to build contingency funds – which is up five points to 32.
Neil Bellamy, consumer insights director at GfK, said: “Consumers really do have the jitters now.
“It is a year since we last saw a monthly drop of this size, and we have to go back to October 2023 to find the last time consumer confidence was lower.
“Everyone is grappling with rapid price rises, especially at the fuel pumps, which are taking a dent out of household budgets, and people know further price hikes are coming.
“Consumer confidence is deteriorating sharply, with fuel prices and threats of more energy price increases acting as constant reminders of inflation.
“While the Gulf crisis is intensifying pressures, much of the current strain reflects earlier domestic cost increases.
“How long can all this disruption and pain continue?”
People walk past a Nike store in New York City, on April 2, 2025.
Kylie Cooper | Reuters
Nike announced a new round of layoffs Thursday affecting approximately 1,400 employees across the organization, mostly concentrated in its technology department.
In a note from COO Venkatesh Alagirisamy, the company said the layoffs were part of Nike’s broader “Win Now” turnaround strategy aiming to reshape its technology team, modernize its Air manufacturing, move some of its Converse Footwear operations and integrate its materials supply chain work into its footwear and apparel supply chain teams.
“Collectively, these changes will result in a reduction of approximately 1,400 roles in global operations, with the majority in technology,” Alagirisamy wrote. “These reductions are very hard for the teammates directly affected and for the teams around them, too.”
A Nike spokesperson said the layoffs are about better positioning the organization for the current pace of sports and accelerating its growth. The layoffs affect employees across North America, Asia and Europe and represent less than 2% of the company’s total global head count.
“This is not a new direction,” Alagirisamy wrote. “It is the next phase of the work already underway.”
Affected employees will be notified beginning Thursday, Nike added.
CEO Elliott Hill has been working to turn Nike around after years of slumping sales. While Hill has made some initial progress, it’s come with some bumps in the road.
Nike announced 775 job cuts in January, primarily at its U.S.-based distribution centers, due to the company’s work in accelerating its use of automation. At the time, the company said the cuts are part of Nike’s goal to return to “long-term, profitable growth.”
Those layoffs came on top of a round of cuts last summer that affected less than 1% of Nike’s corporate staff as part of the company’s efforts to realign the business.
In its third fiscal quarter earnings report last month, the retailer warned that sales will continue to fall for the rest of the year, primarily led by an anticipated 20% decline in China during the current quarter.
— CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.
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