A leak from the Ministry of Justice of Israel indicates that the government has seized documents and computers from NSO Group to prevent the transfer of potentially compromising materials as part of the trial in the United States.
In 2019, WhatsApp sued the NSO Group, finding that the company used PEGASUS malicious software to spy on about 1,400 users, leading to human rights violations worldwide. WhatsApp sought to restrict NSO Group’s access to its systems to prevent further monitoring of WhatsApp users.
The trial involves the official exchange of information, requiring the exchange of relevant documents, including confidential ones.
The Guardian investigated documents from the Ministry of Justice leak related to the information disclosure process in the WhatsApp lawsuit:
- Email leaks show that senior Israeli officials met with NSO Group representatives the day after receiving WhatsApp’s document requests.
- In mid-July 2020, Israel carried out a secret but significant intervention. Officials presented NSO with a court order from Tel Aviv granting them authority to search the office, access computer systems, and seize files.
- The court order prohibited NSO from transferring any documents or technical materials to external parties without Israeli permission, with the ban preventing public discussion.
- Documents and emails were apparently stolen through a hacker attack on the Ministry of Justice, as confirmed by non-governmental organization Forbidden Stories.
Forbidden Stories, in collaboration with The Guardian, validated the seizure of NSO Group documents through third-party sources, an official Israeli document, and a judicial analysis of leaked files.
A Ministry of Justice representative denied allegations of hindering or interfering with the U.S. trials, stating they acted in good faith.
Documents studied by Forbidden Stories suggest potential risks for the Israeli government.