---
title: "WhatsApp catches new NSO-linked spyware attacks"
description: "WhatsApp says NSO Group launched new attacks in violation of a court order and asked the court to hold it in contempt."
url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/whatsapp-nso-new-spyware-attacks
language: en # English
type: news
published: 2026-06-08T15:37:00.000Z
updated: 2026-11-02T05:21:09.000Z
author: "Osamah Ismail"
author_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/author/1
section: "Security"
tags: ["WhatsApp","NSO Group","Spyware","Pegasus","Security"]
sources: ["TechCrunch","Meta Newsroom"]
image: https://kurddevelopers.com/uploads/2026/11/wa-spyware-trial-header-08f514b0.jpg
translations:
  ku: https://kurddevelopers.com/news/whatsapp-nso-new-spyware-attacks
  ar: https://kurddevelopers.com/ar/news/whatsapp-nso-new-spyware-attacks
publisher: Kurd Developers
publisher_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/
---

# WhatsApp catches new NSO-linked spyware attacks

> WhatsApp says NSO Group launched new attacks in violation of a court order and asked the court to hold it in contempt.

![Image: Meta](https://kurddevelopers.com/uploads/2026/11/wa-spyware-trial-header-08f514b0.jpg)

## What happened
**WhatsApp** says it "caught and disrupted spear phishing attempts linked to NSO," the maker of Pegasus spyware.

- Attackers sent **malicious links** to lure people to sites outside WhatsApp.
- Test accounts and groups were created and taken down.

## In court
- WhatsApp says this violates a **permanent injunction**.
- It asked the court to hold NSO in **contempt**.
- The injunction stems from a **2019** campaign targeting more than **1,400** users.
- A jury ordered NSO to pay **$167 million**, later reduced to **$4 million**.

NSO didn't respond.

## Tip
Don't click unknown links, even from people you know.

**Sources:** TechCrunch, Meta Newsroom

---

Published by [Kurd Developers](https://kurddevelopers.com/) on 2026-06-08. Cite as: “WhatsApp catches new NSO-linked spyware attacks”, Kurd Developers, https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/whatsapp-nso-new-spyware-attacks