A shadowy company behind several popular stalkerware apps has completely vanished from the internet following a massive data breach earlier this year. The incident, which exposed the private data of millions of people, has sent shockwaves through the spyware industry. The company shut down its websites, apps, and even wiped its cloud storage, leaving customers and victims in the dark.
How a Massive Leak Exposed Millions of Users
The crisis began back in February 2025 when a hacker breached three widely used stalkerware apps: Spyzie, Cocospy, and Spyic. The breach resulted in a huge amount of highly sensitive data being spilled onto public platforms. Everything from private text messages and photos to real-time GPS locations was suddenly accessible to anyone.
According to Danny Bradbury, a researcher at Malwarebytes Labs, the leak also included the email addresses of about 3.2 million customers who had purchased the spyware. This exposed not only the victims being spied on but also the individuals who installed the apps.
The security flaw that allowed this to happen was reportedly very easy to exploit. An anonymous researcher who discovered the vulnerability chose not to release the technical details, fearing it could be easily replicated by others with even basic technical skills.
Company Vanishes and Wipes Its Digital Footprint
In the wake of the breach, the company responsible for the apps abruptly disappeared. All of its websites were taken down, and the apps were removed from online stores. Further investigation revealed that the parent company operated a network of similar tracking products, all of which have now been shut down. These include:
- FamiSoft Limited
- Teensafe
- Spyier
- Neatspy
- Fonemonitor
- Spyine
- Minspy
Even more alarming, the company’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) storage, which held the vast amounts of data collected by the apps, was completely deleted. Experts believe this drastic action was likely an attempt to destroy evidence and limit the company’s legal liability from the breach.
The Double Danger Faced by Stalkerware Victims
Stalkerware apps are controversial because they are often used by abusive partners to monitor their victims in secret. The people being tracked are frequently unaware that their every move is being recorded.
Bradbury noted that the victims of this breach were targeted twice. “They are victimized twice: once when an individual invades their privacy, and twice when crummy infrastructure exposes their information more widely,” he wrote. This incident is a harsh reminder that victims not only suffer from the surveillance itself but also face the added risk of having their most private moments leaked to the public due to poor security.
A Disturbing Pattern in the Spyware Industry
This is not the first time a spyware company has failed to protect the data it collects. A similar incident occurred last year when an app called pcTattletale was found on the networks of several US Wyndham hotels. The app was capturing screenshots of hotel booking systems, which contained sensitive guest and customer information.
Just like the recent breach, security flaws in pcTattletale’s code left these screenshots exposed online for anyone to find. This highlights a dangerous and recurring pattern: the very companies that sell privacy-invading tools often have terrible security practices themselves, putting everyone at risk.
How to Check Your Phone for Hidden Spyware
If you suspect that stalkerware may have been installed on your Android phone, there is a simple check you can perform. Dialing 001 and pressing the call button can sometimes reveal hidden apps installed on the device. Because stalkerware is designed to run silently in the background, it is crucial to stay vigilant and regularly check the apps on your phone for anything you don’t recognize.
