NSO Group

Israeli technology firm NSO Group Technologies (NSO standing for Niv, Shalev and Omri , names of company's founders) is an Israel-based technology firm whose spyware called Pegasus enables the remote surveillance of smartphones. It employed almost 500 people as of 2017, and is based in Herzliya , near Tel Aviv . Annual revenues were around US$ 40 million in 2013 and $150 million in 2015. In June 2017, the company was put up for sale for $1 billion by Francisco Partners Management . Founders Lavie and Hulio, partnering with European private equity fund Novalpina Capital, purchased a majority stake in NSO in February 2019. NSO claims that it provides "authorized governments with technology that helps them combat terror and crime". According to several reports, software created by NSO Group was used in targeted attacks against human rights activists and journalists in various countries, was used in state espionage against Pakistan , and played a role in the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Kashoggi . In October 2019, instant messaging company WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook sued NSO under the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). The Pegasus spyware is classified as a weapon by Israel and any export of the technology must be approved by the government. The New York Times . WhatsApp, Pegasus spyware maker, the government are caught in a blame game" .

Israeli cyber-espionage and malware firm NSO Group Technologies (NSO standing for Niv, Shalev and Omri , the names of the company's founders) is an Israeli cyber-intelligence firm primarily known for its proprietary spyware Pegasus , which is capable of remote zero-click surveillance of smartphones. It employed almost 500 people as of 2017. NSO claims that it provides authorized governments with technology that helps them combat terror and crime. The company says that it deals with government clients only. Pegasus spyware is classified as a weapon by Israel and any export of the technology must be approved by the government. According to several reports, NSO Group spyware has been used to target human rights activists and journalists in various countries, was used for state espionage against Pakistan , for warrantless domestic surveillance of Israeli citizens by Israeli police, and played a role in the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi by agents of the Saudi government. In 2019, instant messaging company WhatsApp and its parent company Meta Platforms (then known as Facebook) sued NSO under the United States Computer Fraud and Abuse Act . In 2021, Apple filed a lawsuit against NSO in the U.S., and the US included NSO Group in its Entity List for acting against U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, effectively banning U.S. companies from supplying NSO. "Despite the hype, Apple security no match for NSO spyware – International investigation finds 23 Apple devices that were successfully hacked" . WhatsApp, Pegasus spyware maker, the government are caught in a blame game" .