CEO of Spyware company confirms govt customers are still using outdated malware

Kaspersky, the Russian-founded cybersecurity firm, has revealed in a recent study that a government client was still deploying spyware to monitor several companies operating in Russia and Belarus. The surveillance tool, known as Dante, was developed by Memento Labs, a Milan-based manufacturer of surveillance and intelligence software. According to Kaspersky’s findings, the spyware was actively used by a government organization to secretly collect information from targeted businesses.

Paolo Lezzi, CEO of Memento Labs, confirmed the report, acknowledging that Dante was indeed one of their products. He further clarified that the version in question was an outdated Windows-based spyware suite, which is set to lose official support by December 2025.

Lezzi emphasized that the continued use of such tools was unauthorized and illegal, stressing that Memento Labs has already issued multiple warnings and emails to all its clients, urging them to cease using any surveillance software created by the company’s developers.

Taking a broader stance, Memento Labs also announced that it has completely halted the development of spyware and surveillance products. The company now claims to be focused solely on developing mobile security platforms and conducting zero-day vulnerability research—the process of discovering and analyzing previously unknown security flaws before they can be exploited.

In its statement, Kaspersky alleged that the government entity involved in the Dante operation was likely engaged in espionage activities, potentially in coordination with the intelligence agencies of a foreign adversary.

While the cybersecurity firm did not explicitly identify the nation behind the operation, its wording has led to speculation that Kaspersky may have been alluding to the Ukrainian government. According to the report, the spyware campaign began in December 2024 and primarily targeted media organizations, universities, and power utilities—sectors commonly associated with national security and information influence.

At present, the true extent of the campaign and the identities of those responsible remain unclear. However, the revelation underscores the persistent risks of government surveillance operations and the complex geopolitical tensions surrounding the use of digital espionage tools in Eastern Europe.