Pen-Link
| Headquarters | Lincoln, Nebraska, USA |
|---|---|
| Products | PLX, Pen-Link 8, LINCOLN2, PenProxy, Xnet |
| Owner | Spire Capital |
| Website | http://www.penlink.com/ |
Pen-Link, Ltd., (PenLink) is a software company that develops enterprise-grade communications surveillance data collection and analysis products for domestic law enforcement.[1]
History
In July 2023, PenLink merged with Israeli surveillance contractor Cobwebs Technologies, when the latter was acquired for $200 million by private equity firm Spire Capital, which also owns PenLink.[2][3]
Products
PenLink's flagship products include PLX, PenPoint, and Tangles.
One of the more publicized uses of PenLink's products was during the Laci Peterson murder case, where wiretaps taken with Pen-Link 8 and LINCOLN2 were used as evidence against Scott Peterson.
Tangles is a web platform that scrapes data from the open web, deep web, and dark web, as well as allowing for the tracking of mobile devices within a user-designated area, in a process known as "geofencing," through an optional add-on feature called WebLoc.[4]
Clients
The company's clients include US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which signed a $2.7 million two-year contract with PenLink, and in 2024 the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) signed a $5.3 million five-year contract with the company to supply it for a surveillance tool known as Tangles through 2029, which Texas DPS has used since 2021.[4]
See also
References
- ^ Mullin, Chet (2007-09-25). "Pen-Link employees cash in on growing surveillance business". Kearney Hub. Archived from the original on 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
- ^ Orbach, Meir (2023-07-11). "Web intelligence startup Cobwebs acquired for $200 million by private equity firm Spire Capital". Calcalist. Archived from the original on 2023-08-03. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Green, Mitch (2023-07-11). "Cobwebs Technologies Joins PenLink to Expand its Digital Investigative Platform". PenLink. Archived from the original on 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ a b D’Annunzio, Francesca (2024-08-26). "Texas State Police Gear Up for Massive Expansion of Surveillance Tech". The Texas Observer. Archived from the original on 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
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