Apple has filed to dismiss a three-year-old lawsuit against spyware producer NSO Group, because it could do more harm to iOS security than good.
However, three years later, Apple has decided to change course. According to the Washington Post, Apple asked a court on Friday to dismiss the lawsuit altogether.
Apple’s reasoning may be because disclosures made for the lawsuit could be more damaging to its security.
The filing argues that Apple may not be able to secure the most critical files about NSO’s Pegasus surveillance tool. At the same time, its own disclosures could inadvertently help NSO and other rival spyware makers in creating new spy tools that breaks Apple’s security.
The filing arrives eight months after NSO Group applied to the court to move the lawsuit to its home country of Israel. However, a U.S. District court denied the move, as well as blocking an attempt by NSO to end the lawsuit altogether.
While the filing by Apple may be cause for NSO to feel victorious, the suit did take its toll on the company. Despite the notoriety of Pegasus as an iOS hacking tool, the group’s influence and power in the industry has waned considerably.
The lawsuit originally sought to hold NSO Group accountable for the surveillance of some Apple users. It also wanted to place an injunction on NSO, preventing it from using any Apple software, services, or devices.
With growing threats to its products and infrastructure since the lawsuit began, Apple probably has bigger fish to fry now.
