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How Barcelona became an unlikely hub for spyware startups
Barcelona has emerged as a surprising hub for spyware startups, with the latest revelation being the rebranding of Defense Prime Inc. to Palm Beach Networks and eventually Head and Tail. This comes after Israeli spyware maker Candiru underwent several name changes before being added to the U.S. government’s trade ban list in 2021.
Candiru reportedly made several acquisitions, with some employees leaving to form their own companies or start new ventures. According to an anonymous executive from another spyware maker, Alexey Levin, who worked at NSO Group and Candiru, is now a director at Head and Tail, formerly Palm Beach Networks.
It’s worth noting that Head and Tail has not explicitly mentioned its focus on developing surveillance technology on its official website, instead emphasizing “cybersecurity issues” such as threat intelligence, vulnerability assessments, security awareness training, and incident response. The company currently lists job openings in Barcelona, Madrid, and Sevilla.
While the Israeli researcher initially turned down an offer to work at Palm Beach Networks due to concerns over transparency and potential legal implications of working for a spyware company, another employee could end up getting good compensation elsewhere without the same risks, stating that it’s easier “to get money somewhere else”
Source: techcrunch.com
