Tore Says: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected NSO Group’s appeal, allowing WhatsApp and Meta’s lawsuit against the Israeli spyware provider to proceed to trial. NSO attempted to argue immunity as an agent of foreign governments, but two lower courts denied this before being appealed to the Supreme Court in 2022. Meta applauded the Supreme Court’s decision, stating that NSO’s spyware has facilitated attacks on human rights advocates, journalists, and government officials and that the company must be held accountable for violating U.S. law.
This story might seem straight forward but it’s not.
The Supreme Court, in response to NSO’s appeal, requested an opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice, and in November 2022, a reply was issued. The Department of Justice recommended rejecting NSO’s appeal, a recommendation that the Supreme Court upheld.
Pegasus is a highly sophisticated spyware developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. It can compromise a device and give an attacker complete control, allowing them to turn on the camera and microphone without detection, access data, and retrieve passwords. Pegasus has faced criticism for its potential use in violating human rights.
The U.S. Commerce Department stated that there is evidence that NSO has created and sold spyware to foreign governments, which have used it for malicious surveillance of various individuals, including government officials, journalists, business people, activists, scientists, and embassy staff. It also indicated that authoritarian governments had employed the software to target dissidents outside their borders to quash dissent.
Though, the odd thing is NSO also sold spyware and other software related to data collection to the United States Government and or federal agencies, according to sources within the Pentagon. This move is quite curious considering that foreign governments have been demanding a moratorium on selling such software to governments which is non-sensical since Estonia (EU) is a lead producer of such technology that is shared amongst many EU entities and agencies. MORE
Why would the obviously corrupt Supremes request an opinion from the obviously corrupt DOJ?
That’s kind of stupid – two corrupt organizations colluding in corruption?
A “cover your ass” kind of thing?
Spread the blame if some toes get stepped on?
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
Hmmm, “Chinese” weather balloon?
Should have called it Tik Toc instead of Pegasus then there would be no problem.
“(Pegasus) can compromise a device and give an attacker complete control, allowing them to turn on the camera and microphone without detection, access data, and retrieve passwords.”
“…NSO also sold spyware and other software related to data collection to…the United States Government…”
Gosh, I wonder who the FBI/CIA/NSA/ATF will use that technology against?
I agree with Tore’s conclusion that the purpose of the lawsuit is to ensure that only govts will be able to avail themselves of Pegasus and subsequent deep surveillance spyware.
The FBI is asshole.