Spyware firm targeted WhatsApp users in defiance of US court order, Meta says

The Guardian UK Tuesday 09 June 2026, 16:20 UTC By Aisha Down 1 min read

Key Points

Tech company says it ‘caught and disrupted’ NSO Group’s attempts to access accounts in Jordan and Lebanon A spyware firm has been targeting WhatsApp users with malicious links in contravention of a US court order forbidding it from doing so, Meta has said. In a post, Meta said WhatsApp had “caught and disrupted spear phishing attempts” by NSO Group, which a spokesperson said targeted a handful of users in Jordan and Lebanon.

Tech company says it ‘caught and disrupted’ NSO Group’s attempts to access accounts in Jordan and Lebanon

A spyware firm has been targeting WhatsApp users with malicious links in contravention of a US court order forbidding it from doing so, Meta has said.

In a post, Meta said WhatsApp had “caught and disrupted spear phishing attempts” by NSO Group, which a spokesperson said targeted a handful of users in Jordan and Lebanon. It had also caught the group creating “test accounts and groups” on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp (ORG) US (LOCATION) Meta (ORG) Tech (ORG) ’ NSO Group’s (ORG) Jordan (LOCATION) Lebanon (LOCATION) NSO Group (ORG)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

Spyware firm targeted WhatsApp users in defiance of US court order, Meta says

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