Meta accuses NSO Group of defying spyware injunction, files contempt of court complaint | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Meta has filed a contempt-of-court complaint against NSO Group, accusing the Pegasus spyware maker of defying a permanent injunction via new phishing attacks\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/meta-contempt-complaint-nso-group-spyware\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meta accuses NSO Group of defying spyware injunction, files contempt of court complaint\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Meta has filed a contempt-of-court complaint against NSO Group, accusing the Pegasus spyware maker of defying a permanent injunction via new phishing attacks\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/meta-contempt-complaint-nso-group-spyware\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" 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class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"26.298165137615\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"35.5337995338\">\n<p> The company said it spotted a spearphishing campaign linked to the Israeli spyware maker targeting WhatsApp users, despite a court order prohibiting it. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/89330\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt 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https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> This illustration photograph taken on November 27, 2024, shows the logo of US instant messaging software Whatsapp displayed on a smartphone’s screen, in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV \/ AFP) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"23.913953488372\"><body readability=\"49.66\"><\/p>\n<p>Meta said Monday that it caught a spearphishing campaign linked to spyware maker NSO Group despite a court injunction, prompting the tech giant to file a contempt-of-court complaint.<\/p>\n<p>The company <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/nso-group-owes-whatsapp-over-spyware-infections-jury\/\">won a civil case<\/a> last year against NSO Group barring it from targeting WhatsApp users and securing $168 million in damages, although NSO Group has been appealing the ruling.<\/p>\n<p>But Meta says NSO Group, makers of the Pegasus spyware, isn\u2019t honoring the permanent injunction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe successfully disrupted NSO-linked social engineering attempts, after investigating user reports,\u201d it said in a blog post. \u201cThey tried to trick people into clicking on malicious links to drive them to external websites outside of WhatsApp, similar to previously reported 1-click phishing campaigns linked to NSO. We also caught them creating test accounts and groups on WhatsApp, which we took down.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Meta said the campaign resembled spyware infections that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.accessnow.org\/publication\/between-a-hack-and-a-hard-place-how-pegasus-spyware-crushes-civic-space-in-jordan\/\">hit journalists and activists in Jordan<\/a> from 2019 to 2023.<\/p>\n<p>NSO Group didn\u2019t respond to requests for comment about Meta\u2019s accusations.<\/p>\n<p>One top researcher who tracks spyware said NSO Group\u2019s actions are an argument for keeping them on the U.S. sanctions \u201centity\u201d list that the company has fought to be removed from since its designation in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNSO\u2019s own actions make the strongest argument for why they should stay on the Entity list,\u201d John Scott-Railton, senior researcher at the University of Toronto\u2019s Citizen Lab, <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/jsrailton.bsky.social\/post\/3mnrwemepbs2s\">wrote on social media<\/a>. \u201cAnd reaffirm that the decision to put them there was the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meta made the same argument.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWhen a malicious company on the US government\u2019s Entity List continues to defy US courts, existing restrictions must remain firmly in place,\u201d it said in its blog post. \u201cEasing them would undermine US national security and put American companies and billions of people worldwide who depend on secure communications at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/democrat-summer-lee-letter-briefing-nso-group-spyware-trump\/\">have sought information<\/a> on the federal government\u2019s prospective use of NSO Group tech and other kinds of spyware, despite a blacklist, given close ties between the company\u2019s new executive chairman and President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. 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{"id":8726,"date":"2026-06-08T12:11:39","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T17:11:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=89330"},"modified":"2026-06-08T12:11:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T17:11:39","slug":"meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/06\/08\/meta-accuses-nso-group-of-defying-spyware-injunction-files-contempt-of-court-complaint\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta accuses NSO Group of defying spyware injunction, files contempt of court complaint"},"content":{"rendered":"