Cybersecurity giant Kaspersky has identified a new Windows spyware called Dante, allegedly developed by Memento Labs, an Italian surveillance tech firm that succeeded the infamous Hacking Team.
In its report, Kaspersky said the spyware was used in cyberattacks targeting Russia and Belarus, including government offices, universities, and media outlets. The hacking group, dubbed “ForumTroll”, reportedly lured victims with phishing links tied to Russian political forums.
🇮🇹Memento Labs chief exec Paolo Lezzi confirmed to @lorenzofb that the #spyware caught by Kaspersky does indeed belong to Memento. He blamed one of the company’s government customers for exposing Dante, saying the customer used an outdated version of the Windows spyware.…
— Vas Panagiotopoulos (@criticalvas) October 29, 2025
Memento CEO Paolo Lezzi confirmed Dante’s origin but blamed a government client for using an outdated version of the spyware, saying it was “already dead.” Lezzi added that Memento is phasing out Windows-based spyware to focus on mobile surveillance tools, and has urged clients to stop using Dante.
Kaspersky said the attackers displayed strong command of Russian but were not native speakers, suggesting a foreign intelligence link. The discovery reignites concerns about the continued evolution of state-backed spyware despite past scandals surrounding companies like Hacking Team.
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