Summary:
Variston, a spyware vendor in Barcelona, has officially shut down.
The company was liquidated following a legal notice published on February 10.
This closure follows a 2022 Google report that revealed the company’s existence.
Variston was founded in 2018 by industry veterans and had a history of secrecy.
Former employees suggest that Google’s exposure was pivotal to the company's downfall.
In Brief
Variston, a Barcelona-based spyware vendor, has reportedly shut down. A legal notice published in Barcelona’s registry on February 10 confirmed the liquidation of the company.
Image Credits: Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch
This closure comes almost a year after TechCrunch reported that Variston was in the process of shutting down, having let go of more than half-a-dozen employees.
The decline of Variston began after a 2022 Google report revealed its existence, which had previously operated under a cloak of secrecy. Former employees noted that the company, founded in 2018 by spyware veterans Ralf Wegener and Ramanan Jayaraman, discouraged staff from disclosing their workplace. One ex-employee mentioned that Google’s exposure might have marked the beginning of the end for the spyware maker.
Wegener did not respond to inquiries from TechCrunch, and attempts to reach Variston through its public email went unanswered.
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