The security testing firm NSS Labs announced it has “stopped operating” as of last week, as stated in a notification published on its website, attributing the decision to difficulties stemming from the current coronavirus pandemic.

The company, headquartered in Austin, Texas, was acquired by the private equity company Consecutive in October of the previous year. However, reports surfaced last week, initially by Dark Reading, indicating the company was preparing for workforce reductions.

Jason Brvenik, the former chief executive of NSS Labs, posted a concise message on LinkedIn alluding to potential job cuts, stating: “If you require highly skilled individuals who meet my demanding criteria, please reach out.” (Brvenik’s LinkedIn profile now identifies him as a former chief executive.)

Individuals who previously worked at NSS Labs informed TechCrunch that they were among those affected by layoffs due to the company’s closure.

Established in 2007, NSS Labs became a prominent name in the field of product security testing, providing clients with the ability to evaluate their products using authentic threat intelligence to identify weaknesses and potential security concerns.

The company experienced challenges in recent years. In 2019, NSS Labs withdrew its “caution” assessment of CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform following a confidential settlement of a legal dispute concerning the evaluation’s findings. NSS Labs also discontinued its antitrust litigation against the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), Symantec, and ESET, after asserting it had uncovered evidence suggesting the companies may have been working together to impede product testing.

Representatives for NSS Labs and Consecutive have not yet responded to requests for a statement.

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