Meta is taking legal action against NSO Group, essentially alleging that the latter infiltrates WhatsApp rather than merely targeting WhatsApp users. We have a procedural decision:

According to the ruling, NSO Group is barred from introducing evidence regarding the identities of its clients, suggesting that the targeted WhatsApp users are either suspected or confirmed criminals, or claiming that WhatsApp lacked adequate security measures.

[…]

Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the Northern District of California indicated that NSO Group undermined its case for utilizing evidence regarding its clients with conflicting statements.

“Defendants cannot assert, on one side, that their purpose is to assist their clients in combating terrorism and child exploitation, while simultaneously contending that they have no connection to what their clients do with the technology, apart from offering advice and support,” she stated. “Moreover, there is no evidence regarding the specific types of crimes or security threats that their clients actually pursue, nor any related to the incidents in question.”

I have discussed the concerns involved in this case.