Kirill Parubets, a Russian programmer, was detained by Russian authorities on accusations of sending money to Ukraine. During his more than two weeks in custody, he and his spouse were reported beaten by police, and he was pressured to act as an informant under the threat of life imprisonment. Following his release, digital forensic researchers from The Citizen Lab discovered that his phone had been infected with spyware via a trojanized version of the 'Cube Call Recorder' app. This spyware, similar to the Monokle family, allowed authorities to track his location, read encrypted messages, and record calls and keystrokes. Due to the surveillance and threats, Parubets is currently living in exile.

Kirill Parubets, a Russian programmer, was detained by Russian authorities on accusations of sending money to Ukraine. During his more than two weeks in custody, he and his spouse were reportedly beaten by police, and he was pressured to act as an informant under the threat of life imprisonment. Following his release, digital forensic researchers from The Citizen Lab discovered that his phone had been infected with spyware via a trojanized version of the 'Cube Call Recorder' app. This spyware, similar to the Monokle family, allowed authorities to track his location, read encrypted messages, and record calls and keystrokes. Due to the surveillance and threats, Parubets is currently living in exile.