On Monday, Kaspersky Lab announced the discovery of new spyware called Dante, targeting Windows users in Russia and Belarus. Developed by Memento Labs, a company founded in 2019 after acquiring Hacking Team, Dante’s existence was confirmed by CEO Paolo Lezzi. He attributed its exposure to a government customer using an outdated version of malware that Memento plans to phase out by the end of the year.
Kaspersky reported that a hacking group known as ForumTroll is leveraging Dante to target various sectors, including government agencies and universities. The report identified linguistic indicators suggesting Russian state sponsorship, despite some non-native speaker errors.
Memento’s spyware evolution continues from Hacking Team’s legacy, with some coding traces remaining. Kaspersky noted that the software had been improved until 2022, when it was succeeded by Dante. Memento has transitioned to focusing on mobile spyware and has urged clients to discontinue the use of Windows malware, revealing concerns over cyberattacks linked to a Chrome browser vulnerability.
Lezzi, who acquired Hacking Team for a nominal fee, indicated that Memento currently serves fewer than 100 customers. His statements reinforced the notion that problematic surveillance technologies could resurface under new management, highlighting the persistent risks posed by spyware.
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