Meta says the Israeli spyware company NSO Group is again targeting WhatsApp users with phishing tactics despite a US court order restricting such activity. In a statement, Meta says WhatsApp “caught and disrupted” spear-phishing attempts linked to NSO Group by identifying and blocking malicious links used to trick users into taking action that would lead them to external websites. Meta also says it detected NSO-related behavior on the platform beyond direct phishing, including the creation of test accounts and groups on WhatsApp. Meta characterizes the activity as similar to previously reported “spear phishing” patterns that try to push users to click malicious links outside WhatsApp.
Meta says it has asked a federal court to hold NSO Group in contempt, arguing the company did not stop the behavior barred by a permanent injunction. Reporting across outlets describes the dispute as part of an ongoing legal effort by Meta to enforce the court restrictions and to challenge NSO’s alleged continued attempts to access or compromise WhatsApp-related accounts. Meta and its legal filings describe the alleged targeting as affecting a limited number of users in Jordan and Lebanon, according to its account.
