A host of big tech companies have come out in favor of WhatsApp as the messaging app wages a legal battle against an Israeli intelligence firm. Facebook-owned WhatsApp has accused the Israeli group NSO of exploiting an undisclosed vulnerability to hack into the phones of some 1.400 WhatsApp users. WhatsApp alleges that NSO, which develops spyware for clients in nation states, spied on its customers and sued the company in October 2019 in an attempt to learn more about the hack. The attack worked by exploiting a security flaw in audio calls, which allowed NSO to infect a device with spyware simply by sending an audio call; the victims did not even have to answer. NSO continues to dispute WhatsApp's allegations, arguing that it should be granted legal immunity as it operates on behalf of national governments. This is an argument that has so far failed to convince US prosecutors.
Greater support
Today, several tech companies have publicly supported WhatsApp, filing an amicus brief in support of the case. Companies including Microsoft, Google, Cisco and the Internet Association, which includes Amazon, Facebook and Twitter, have signed on to the report. "The extension of sovereign immunity sought by NSO would further encourage the burgeoning cyber-surveillance industry to develop, sell, and use tools to exploit vulnerabilities in violation of United States law," said Tom Burt, vice president, Security and trusted by Microsoft customers. “Private companies must remain accountable when they use their cybersurveillance tools to break the law or knowingly allow their use for such purposes, regardless of their customers or what they are trying to accomplish. We hope that standing with our competition today through this amicus note will help protect our collective clients and our global digital ecosystem from more indiscriminate attacks. " The legal battle will be important for technology companies to be able to reliably tell their customers that they can protect their privacy. Importantly, the decision could also prove important for democracy in general, as human rights activists and journalists are among the most spied on.- We've also highlighted the best VPN services