Federal Judge Dismissed NSO Group Lawsuit
The court ruled that it lacks jurisdiction over claims involving spyware used against journalists in El Salvador.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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District Judge James Donato dismissed a lawsuit brought by journalists against NSO Group Technologies. The plaintiffs alleged the company used Pegasus spyware to target iPhones belonging to journalists in El Salvador.
Why it matters
The ruling hinges on the legal determination that interactions with California-based servers are insufficient to establish jurisdiction for international claims. This outcome limits the ability of foreign plaintiffs to sue foreign technology firms in U.S. courts over digital surveillance.
The lawsuit centered on the alleged use of Pegasus spyware targeting iPhones owned by journalists. The court determined that the plaintiffs failed to establish legal standing through interaction with Apple servers located in California.
The players
NSO Group Technologies
This is an Israeli technology firm known for developing Pegasus, a sophisticated spyware tool designed to infiltrate mobile devices.
James Donato
He is a United States District Judge presiding over cases in the Northern District of California.
The details
Judge James Donato presided over the dismissal, which concluded that the court lacked the necessary jurisdiction to hear the case. The journalists had sought to hold NSO Group accountable for alleged unauthorized access to their mobile devices.
Timeline
September 30, 2026: The federal judge dismissed the journalists' spyware lawsuit.
The Tech Race
This case follows a pattern set by the Apple Inc. v. NSO Group Technologies litigation regarding the limits of U.S. jurisdictional reach over international spyware operations. It highlights the ongoing struggle to define legal boundaries when digital surveillance software transcends national borders.
The ruling suggests that journalists and activists facing digital surveillance may find it difficult to seek legal recourse within the American court system. It underscores the challenges users face in holding foreign spyware developers accountable for alleged privacy infringements.
The takeaway
This decision reinforces the high jurisdictional barriers for foreign nationals attempting to sue international firms in U.S. courts for digital rights violations. Legal observers should note that technical connections to American servers do not automatically guarantee a domestic legal path for global cases.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving digital security landscape, visit the Cybersecurity section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mlex.
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