NSO Group Technologies Ltd.
Israeli maker of Pegasus spyware; US-blacklisted since 2021, found liable for hacking ~1,400 WhatsApp users, now US-investor owned.
Company· Israel · in the record since Apr 2022
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Connections · 6
● confirmed by a primary document · ○ reported
● confirmed by a primary document · ○ reported
Ownership
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An American investment group invested tens of millions of dollars in NSO and took controlling ownership in October 2025; Calcalist reported it is led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds.
2 sources
- TechCrunch — Spyware maker NSO Group confirms acquisition by US investors
NSO spokesperson Oded Hershowitz told TechCrunch on Friday that “an American investment group has invested tens of millions of dollars in the company and has acquired controlling ownership.”
- The Record — Former Trump official named NSO Group executive chairman
David Friedman, who was ambassador to Israel in Trump’s first administration, has been appointed to the role of executive chairman of NSO Group, which is now reportedly owned by a group of outside investors led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds.
Political spending
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NSO Group paid lobbying firm Chartwell Strategy Group $100,000 in the first half of 2025 to lobby Congress on cybersecurity issues.$100K
2 sources
- LD-2 Lobbying Report: Chartwell Strategy Group LLC for NSO Group, Q1 2025DocumentLine 12, Income
$5,000 or more $ 30,000.00
- LD-2 Lobbying Report: Chartwell Strategy Group LLC for NSO Group, Q2 2025DocumentLine 12, Income
$5,000 or more $ 70,000.00
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NSO Group paid The Vogel Group $90,000 in the first half of 2025, per lobbying disclosures.$90K
2 sources
- LD-2 Lobbying Report: The Vogel Group for NSO Group, Q1 2025DocumentLine 12, Income
$5,000 or more $ 30,000.00
- LD-2 Lobbying Report: The Vogel Group for NSO Group, Q2 2025DocumentLine 12, Income
$5,000 or more $ 60,000.00
Roles
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Former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman was named NSO Group's executive chairman in November 2025.
1 source
- The Record — Former Trump official named NSO Group executive chairman
NSO Group announced Friedman’s appointment on Sunday, saying that NSO’s three founders no longer have any stake in the firm.
Technology
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Citizen Lab assessed that two Pegasus spyware operators it tracks, MANSAF and BLACKIRIS, are likely agencies of the Jordanian government.
1 source
- The Citizen LabDocumentKey Findings
We identify two Pegasus operators that we believe are likely agencies of the Jordanian government.
Figures
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In WhatsApp's lawsuit a US jury ordered NSO in May 2025 to pay $167 million in punitive and over $444,000 in compensatory damages; in October 2025 the judge cut punitive damages to just over $4 million and permanently barred NSO from targeting WhatsApp.$167M
1 source
- SecurityWeek — NSO Ordered to Stop Hacking WhatsApp, but Damages Cut to $4 Million
A judge ruled in December 2024 that NSO Group is liable for the hacking of WhatsApp users, and in May 2025 a jury ordered the spyware maker to pay more than $444,000 in compensatory damages and $167 million in punitive damages.