In a recent court hearing, NSO Group’s lawyer revealed that the governments of Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan were among the customers using the company’s Pegasus spyware. These nations are accused of being involved in the 2019 hacking campaign that targeted over 1,200 WhatsApp users, including human rights activists and journalists. The lawsuit, filed by WhatsApp in 2019, accuses NSO Group of exploiting a vulnerability in the app’s systems to hack users during a window in April and May of that year.
For years, NSO Group has refused to publicly disclose its clientele, citing confidentiality. However, during the hearing, the lawyer named three countries, providing a rare acknowledgment of the company’s customers involved in the 2019 campaign. A list unsealed in court last week showed the locations of 1,223 victims, which appears to include several NSO Group clients. While Mexico and Uzbekistan were specifically named, Saudi Arabia did not appear on the list, which could be due to the ability of some clients to target individuals outside their own countries.
The lawsuit also highlighted that more than 100 of the targeted individuals were human rights activists, journalists, and members of civil society. Citizen Lab, which has been investigating the abuse of government spyware for years, helped WhatsApp identify the victims. Although some of the countries, like Mexico, are known for targeting individuals abroad, the complete list of NSO’s clients is still not fully clear. The company’s lawyer hinted that the list in the court documents may reveal more names once fully examined.
WhatsApp remains focused on securing an injunction and determining damages for the hacking of its users. The judge overseeing the case has acknowledged that the evidence regarding NSO’s clients is unclear, which has delayed any final conclusions. As the trial progresses, more details about the misuse of Pegasus spyware and the responsibility of NSO’s customers may emerge, further shedding light on the global implications of such surveillance tools.
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