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{{for|the American professional golfer|Steve Veriato}}
{{Infobox_Company |
{{Cleanup-PR|1=article|date=December 2023}}
company_name = SpectorSoft, Inc.|
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}}
company_logo = ]|
{{Infobox company
company_type = ] (]:
| name = Veriato, Inc.
)|
| logo = Veriato_logo.svg
company_slogan = Automatically Record Everything They Do Online.|
| type = ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=10441050|title=Veriato Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek|website=]}}</ref>
foundation = 1998|
| key_people = Elizabeth Harz (CEO)
location = ], ]|
| industry = Software
key_people = Doug Fowler (SpectorSoft President)|
| products = Insider Risk Management & User Monitoring Software
num_employees = 60|
| homepage = {{URL|https://veriato.com/}}
industry = ]|
| foundation = 1998−2016 as SpectorSoft<br>2016 renamed Veriato<ref name=businesswire>{{Cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160315005693/en/SpectorSoft-Veriato-Reflect-Growing-Demand-Corporate-Truth|title=SpectorSoft Changes Name to Veriato to Reflect Growing Demand for Corporate Truth {{!}} Business Wire|website=businesswire.com|date=March 15, 2016|access-date=2016-04-11}}</ref>
products = Computer Monitoring software|
| location = ]<br>United States
homepage =
}} }}


'''SpectorSoft''' is a software manufacturer that develops and sells stealth ] tools and ]<ref name="spyware1">{{cite news '''Veriato''', formerly known as '''SpectorSoft''', is a ] that develops and sells ] and ].

| title = eBlaster Remote Spyware
It is based in ], United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Veriato Inc - Company Profile and News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/3137680Z:US |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref>
| url = http://www.spector.com/remote-spyware.html
| accessdate = 2007-05-22
| quote = Spectorsoft refer to eBlaster as Spyware themselves }}</ref>.


==History== ==History==
Founded in 1998, the company was an early entrant in ].{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}
The company was founded in 1998 by current President Doug Fowler<ref>
{{cite web
| title = SPECTORSOFT CORPORATION
| publisher = Florida Department of State - Division of Corporations
| url = http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/cordet.exe?action=DETFIL&inq_doc_number=P98000104383&inq_came_from=NAMFWD&cor_web_names_seq_number=0000&names_name_ind=N&names_cor_number=&names_name_seq=&names_name_ind=&names_comp_name=SPECTORSOFT&names_filing_type=,
| accessdate = 2007-05-23 }}</ref>.

==Products==
'''Spector Pro'''<ref>{{cite web
| title = Spectorsoft Products
| publisher = Spectorsoft
| url = http://spectorsoft.com/products/
| accessdate = 2007-05-23 }}</ref> —A monitoring application capable of recording virtually all activity on the computer it is installed on.

'''Spector CNE''' —Identical to Spector Pro, but includes features aimed at corporate use.

'''Spector 360''' —Includes the features of Spector Pro and Spector CNE, but can create graphs and statistics from the recorded data.

'''eBlaster''' -Recording capabilities very similar to Spector Pro with the exception that it can email all activity to a remote location.

'''Spector for Macintosh''' - Records activity on Macintosh systems via snapshots, keystrokes, and web site logging.

'''Spector 2.2''' - Identical to the Mac version, but works on Windows based operating systems.

==Awards/Distinctions==
Spector Pro was given the editors choice award in a 2002 review of six computer activity monitoring tools<ref name="PC_Mag1">{{cite news
| last = Glass
| first = Brett
| title = Watching You, Watching Me - Spector Pro reviewed by PC Magazine
| publisher = PC Magazine
| date = ]
| url = http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,244681,00.asp
| accessdate = 2007-01-15
| quote = Spector Pro - Editors Choice ... A descendant of the Netbus Trojan horse }}</ref>.
In 2004, version 5.0 of Spector Pro was again given the editors choice award from a field four programs<ref>{{cite news
| last = Delaney
| first = Laura
| title = Monitoring Software- Reviewed by PC Magazine
| publisher = PC Magazine
| date = ]
| url = http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1619184,00.asp
| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref>.

In 2004, SpectorSoft was listed on the INC 500 as Americas 244<sup>th</sup> fastest growing company<ref>{{cite news
| title = Inc 500 2004 (ranked 224)
| publisher = Inc Magazine
| date = ]
| url = http://www.inc.com/app/inc500/viewCompany.jsp?cmpId=2004226
| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref>.
The position slipped to 497<sup>th</sup> in 2005.
<ref>{{cite news
| title = Inc 500 2005 (ranked 497)
| publisher = Inc Magazine
| date = ]
| url = http://www.inc.com/app/inc500/viewCompany.jsp?cmpId=2005497
| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref>.

Spectorsoft products have been mentioned in many well known media outlets, including ], ], ], ], ] Nightly News, ] and ]<ref>{{cite news
| title = Spectorsoft - Press Mentions
| publisher = Spectorsoft
| url = http://www.spectorsoft.com/press/pressmentions.html
| accessdate = 2007-05-23 }}</ref>.

== Netbus connection ==
Spectorsoft owns the former website of the ] hacker/cyber-crime tool<ref>{{ cite web
| url=http://www.whois.net/whois_new.cgi?d=netbus.org
| title= Whois.net - netbus.org
| accessdate=2007-04-11
| quote=Registrant Name:Spectorsoft Corp. }}</ref>.
There are sources that indicate that Spectorsoft's software is derived from Netbus<ref>{{ cite web
| url=http://www.shavlik.com/product_pdfs/Shavlik_NetChk_Spyware_White%20Paper-The_Spyware_Plague.pdf
| title= The Spyware Plague: No Cure For The Enterprise pp6
| publisher=Shavlik Technologies
| accessdate=2007-04-11
| quote=Netbus was then reincarnated as SpectorSoft, ... often referred to as ‘divorceware’ |format=PDF}}</ref><ref name="PC_Mag1"/>.
In 2002, Spectorsoft advertised on the Netbus website "''Netbus Users: Upgrade to Spector Professional Edition today''"<ref>
{{cite web
| url=http://www.netbus.org/
| title=Netbus
| accessdate=2007-04-12
| year=2002
| publisher=Spectorsoft
| archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20020328183109/http://www.netbus.org/
| archivedate=2002-03-28
| quote=Netbus Users: Upgrade to Spector Professional Edition today }}</ref>.

==Users==
===Legal===
==== Parents ====
Parents use Spectorsoft's monitoring software to check their under aged children's internet use<ref name="Spector_Solutions">{{cite web
| url = http://www.spectorsoft.com/products/eBlaster_Windows/solutions.html
| title = SpectorSoft - eBlaster for Windows - Solutions
| accessdate = 2007-05-23
| author = Spectorsoft
| date= 2003-07-23 }}</ref><ref>
{{cite news
| last = Potter
| first = Ned
| title = Watching Your Kids Online
| publisher = ABC News
| date = ]
| url = http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsociety/2006/07/watching_your_k.html
| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref>.
This could help prevent ]s from targeting the children. This is legal since minors have no legal right to privacy from their parents.


In 2008, ] firms Harbourvest Partners and WestView Capital Partners invested in the company, taking a majority ownership position.<ref>{{Cite web|title = WestView Capital Partners|url = http://www.wvcapital.com/news/story.php?item=16|website = www.wvcapital.com|access-date = 2015-07-31|archive-date = March 10, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150310033415/http://www.wvcapital.com/news/story.php?item=16|url-status = dead}}</ref> SpectorSoft originally serviced both consumer and business customers, but no longer sells software for consumer or home use.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Monitoring Software {{!}} Computer And Internet Monitoring {{!}} SpectorSoft|url = http://spectorsoft.com/|website = spectorsoft.com|access-date = 2015-07-31|archive-date = May 23, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070523034244/http://www.spectorsoft.com/|url-status = dead}}</ref>
====Employers====
Employers may choose to monitor their employees using Spectorsoft's software to prevent theft of intellectual property, and to ensure employees are using their computers only in appropriate ways<ref name="Spector_Solutions" />.
This is legal, since employees will have signed a contract stating that their computer activity may be monitored when they were employed.


In 2011, the company opened their West Palm Beach office and London office.{{Ciation needed|date=May 2022}}
There are however still privacy concerns over things like personal email<ref>{{cite news
| last = Bill Wallace
| first = Jamie Fenton
| title = Analysis: Your PC could be watching you
| publisher = CNN
| date = ]
| url = http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/11/15/desktop.tracker.idg/index.html
| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
| url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/08/30/spyware_trojan_sends_hotmail/
| title=Spyware Trojan sends Hotmail to your boss
| author=Thomas C Greene
| publisher=The Register
| accessdate=2007-04-11 }}</ref>


In 2012 SpectorSoft acquired the assets of Corner Bowl Software.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Release of SpectorSoft Server Manager Centralizes and Automates Server Monitoring, Provides Increased Systems Uptime and Simplified Compliance Reporting|url = http://www.spectorsoft.com/press/press_releases/2012/10/latest-spectorsoft-server-manager-release-simplifies-monitoring.html|website = www.spectorsoft.com|access-date = 2015-07-31|archive-date = March 31, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150331031256/http://www.spectorsoft.com/press/press_releases/2012/10/latest-spectorsoft-server-manager-release-simplifies-monitoring.html|url-status = dead}}</ref>
===Illegal===
Some of Spectorsoft's tools, especially eBlaster are extremely easy to use for criminal activities, and there have been several convictions for such misuse.
<ref name="illegal1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/23/online_banking_in_sa/
| title = ‘Online banking in SA was a time-bomb waiting to go off’
| accessdate = 2007-04-10
| author = John Leyden
| date= 2003-07-23
| publisher = The Register
| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20040623102521/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/23/online_banking_in_sa/
| archivedate = 2004-06-23 }}</ref>
<ref name="illegal2" >{{cite web
| url = http://www.courttv.com/archive/news/2001/0907/privacy_ctv.html
| title=Private electronic surveillance raising legal, rights questions
| accessdate = 2007-04-10
| author = Matt Bean
| date= 2001-09-07
| publisher = Court TV
| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20031215015821/http://www.courttv.com/archive/news/2001/0907/privacy_ctv.html
| archivedate=2003-12-15 }}</ref>.


On March 31, 2015, the company completely exited the consumer market.
==== Spouses ====
At one time Spectorsoft sold spy software to people wanting to catch their spouses cheating however they have ceased selling their software to this demograph of people several years ago.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/081607-spouse.html?page=2
| title=Spouse-vs.-spouse cyberspying dangerous, possibly illegal - Network World
| accessdate=2007-10-23
| year=2007
| publisher=Network World
| quote=Fowler says SpectorSoft, which makes consumer and business versions of its surveillance software, three years ago stopped marketing its products as spouse-spying tools. }}</ref><ref>
{{cite news
| last = Cohen
| first = Adam
| title = Internet Insecurity (page 6)
| publisher = Time Magazine
| date = ]
| url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000225-6,00.html
| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref>.


In 2016 the company was renamed Veriato, Inc.<ref name=businesswire/>
==== Thieves ====
Since Spectorsoft's software is specifically designed to be extremely difficult to detect and remove, the tools (especially eBlaster) can easily be used by online thieves. Installation can occur without the user's knowledge or permission<ref>{{ cite web
| url=http://www.spectorsoft.com/products/eblaster_windows/help/v50/remoteinstall.html
| title= Blaster Remote Installation Guide
| publisher=Spectorsoft
| accessdate=2007-05-23
| quote=eBlaster installs itself silently without any indication to the computer user that the installation has taken place }}</ref>.
Spectorsoft openly advertise that their tools will record all of a user's passwords<ref>{{ cite web
| url=http://www.netbus.org/email-passwords.html
| title= Capture Their Email Passwords
| publisher=Netbus.org - (Owned by Spectorsoft)
| accessdate=2007-04-12
| quote=Passwords from any email account will be recorded, ... and all other passwords }}</ref>.


On June 12, 2019, Veriato was acquired by ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.akerman.com/en/firm/newsroom/akerman-represented-veriato-inc-in-its-sale-to-awareness-technologies.html|title = Akerman Represents Veriato, Inc. In its Sale to Awareness Technologies}}</ref>
There have been recorded cases of this happening<ref name="illegal1"/>.


On December 7, 2020, Awareness Technologies was acquired by TZP Group, a multi-strategy private equity firm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tzp-group-acquires-awareness-technologies-301187034.html|title = TZP Group Acquires Awareness Technologies}}</ref>
== Spyware Classification ==
Spectorsoft markets their software as "''Spyware''"<ref name="spyware1"/>, and it is listed as "high risk" by several anti-virus/anti-spyware software vendors<ref>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2003-080811-1930-99
| title = Symantec profile of eBlaster
| accessdate = 2007-03-27 }}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.spynomore.com/key-logger-eblaster-5-0.htm?search=eblaster
| title = SpyNoMore profile of eBlaster 5.0
| accessdate = 2007-03-27 }}</ref><ref name="pestpatrol" >
{{cite web
| url = http://www.pestpatrol.com/spywarecenter/pest.aspx?id=55479
| title = PestPatrol profile of eBlaster
| accessdate = 2007-03-27 }}</ref>


==Patent Infringement case==
The software products utilise ]s to avoid detection by users, actively combat ] by mutating and recreating filenames, registry keys<ref name="pestpatrol" />.
Patent Infringement Case Helios Software LLC et al. v. SpectorSoft Corporation has concluded. In September 2014, the Court granted summary judgment of non-infringement as to the ‘571 and ‘237 Patents.<ref></ref> In June 2015, after a five-day trial, a jury returned a verdict of no direct or indirect infringement by SpectorSoft of the ‘304 Patent, and also found several of the asserted claims of that patent invalid as both anticipated and rendered obvious by prior art (see Docket Entry No. 615 for Civ. No. 12-081-LPS).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sflaw.com/PR-SpectorSoft-2015-09-11.htm |title=Sflaw.com/PR-SpectorSoft |access-date=September 14, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200218/http://sflaw.com/PR-SpectorSoft-2015-09-11.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>


== See also == == See also ==
*] *]
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== References == == References ==
{{reflist|24em}}
<references/>


<!--Note: original 1998 establishment date categories are on ] redirect-->
== External links ==
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Latest revision as of 13:49, 27 August 2024

For the American professional golfer, see Steve Veriato.
This article reads like a press release or a news article and may be largely based on routine coverage. Please help improve this article and add independent sources. (December 2023)

Veriato, Inc.
[REDACTED]
Company typePrivate Company
IndustrySoftware
Founded1998−2016 as SpectorSoft
2016 renamed Veriato
HeadquartersWest Palm Beach, Florida
United States
Key peopleElizabeth Harz (CEO)
ProductsInsider Risk Management & User Monitoring Software
Websiteveriato.com

Veriato, formerly known as SpectorSoft, is a software company that develops and sells user behavior analytics and employee monitoring software.

It is based in West Palm Beach, Florida, United States.

History

Founded in 1998, the company was an early entrant in internet monitoring software.

In 2008, private equity firms Harbourvest Partners and WestView Capital Partners invested in the company, taking a majority ownership position. SpectorSoft originally serviced both consumer and business customers, but no longer sells software for consumer or home use.

In 2011, the company opened their West Palm Beach office and London office.

In 2012 SpectorSoft acquired the assets of Corner Bowl Software.

On March 31, 2015, the company completely exited the consumer market.

In 2016 the company was renamed Veriato, Inc.

On June 12, 2019, Veriato was acquired by Awareness Technologies.

On December 7, 2020, Awareness Technologies was acquired by TZP Group, a multi-strategy private equity firm.

Patent Infringement case

Patent Infringement Case Helios Software LLC et al. v. SpectorSoft Corporation has concluded. In September 2014, the Court granted summary judgment of non-infringement as to the ‘571 and ‘237 Patents. In June 2015, after a five-day trial, a jury returned a verdict of no direct or indirect infringement by SpectorSoft of the ‘304 Patent, and also found several of the asserted claims of that patent invalid as both anticipated and rendered obvious by prior art (see Docket Entry No. 615 for Civ. No. 12-081-LPS).

See also

References

  1. "Veriato Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek". Bloomberg News.
  2. ^ "SpectorSoft Changes Name to Veriato to Reflect Growing Demand for Corporate Truth | Business Wire". businesswire.com. March 15, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  3. "Veriato Inc - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  4. "WestView Capital Partners". www.wvcapital.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  5. "Monitoring Software | Computer And Internet Monitoring | SpectorSoft". spectorsoft.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  6. "Release of SpectorSoft Server Manager Centralizes and Automates Server Monitoring, Provides Increased Systems Uptime and Simplified Compliance Reporting". www.spectorsoft.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  7. "Akerman Represents Veriato, Inc. In its Sale to Awareness Technologies".
  8. "TZP Group Acquires Awareness Technologies".
  9. IPspotlight files @ Wordpress.com: Legal opinion on Patent Infringement Case Helios Software LLC et al. v. SpectorSoft Corporation
  10. "Sflaw.com/PR-SpectorSoft". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
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