Author: Paranjoy Guha Thakurta

On 20 December 2024, United States District Judge of the Northern District of California Phyllis J Hamilton upheld the allegations levelled by WhatsApp Incorporated (the encrypted messaging service that is part of the larger Meta conglomerate that includes social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram) against NSO Group Technologies Limited (the Israeli manufacturer of the spyware named Pegasus). The court held that NSO Group had exploited a technical loophole and hacked into the WhatsApp accounts inside the personal electronic devices of around 1,400 persons, of which some 300 users are believed to be from India. The crucial questions are: The…