In late 2023, an Israeli security analyst out of Tel Aviv was courted for an overseas gig. Despite promising work conditions and a high salary, oddities were apparent during the hiring procedure.
“The secrecy felt strange. Recruiters were evasive about the company details or even their full identities. This secrecy began ringing alarm bells,” the analyst told TechCrunch.
Despite its murky introduction, he was assured that the company, known as Palm Beach Networks, was a legitimate offensive security firm. When he finally got to converse with the company’s CTO, Alexey Levin, ex-researcher at NSO Group- a blacklisted spyware manufacturer, he was informed that Palm Beach Networks created everything from zero-day exploits to spyware implants.
When questioned about the company’s choice of location – Barcelona, which was previously rocked by a political scandal involving government officials using spyware to target local politicians – he was told the decision was based on the city’s similarities to Israel, tax benefits, and pleasing weather.
Recent trends reveal that Barcelona has become an unexpected hub for spyware firms, as confirmed by sources in the cyber security industry and verified business records.
[H2]Attractive Climate, Delicious Seafood, and an Exploding Spyware Industry[/H2]
A host of exploit and spyware creators, beyond Palm Beach Networks, are leveraging Barcelona’s attractive features– balmy weather, plentiful seafood, and a bustling expat society.
Interestingly, the city’s charm extends beyond the natural attractions; several Israeli security experts reportedly moved from Singapore to Barcelona due to Israel’s stringent restrictions on spyware export. Barcelona, thanks to its cheaper cost of living, great weather, and the ease of setting up a business without restrictive export laws, continues to draw these specialists.
While some businesses, such as Paradigm Shift, clearly market themselves as offensive cybersecurity companies, others stay under the radar.
[H2]Shady Startups Operating Under Varied Alias[/H2]
Unlike well-known spyware makers as NSO Group that have public accusations of human rights abuse, Palm Beach Networks has an intriguing history of frequent name changes, a maneuver used by other spyware vendors to conceal their corporate ownership.
In May 2023, Defense Prime Inc. was rebranded to Palm Beach Networks, which then transformed to Head and Tail in June 2023. By June 2024, Palm Beach Networks was dissolved, as per business records filed in Florida and Spain.
Head and Tail’s association with Defense Prime and Palm Beach Networks is evident from overlapping executives and key figures mentioned in their business records.
Despite a lucrative remuneration, the Israeli analyst eventually declined the offer to join Palm Beach Networks expressing concerns with the opaque nature of the company, saying, “I prefer to earn a decent income without worrying about the nature of my job or who my customers are, especially with a company that doesn’t prioritize transparency.”
Original source: Read the full article on TechCrunch
