russian hackers for hire(Killnet)

Introduction：

1、International Hacker-For-Hire Who Conspired With And Aided Russian FSB Officers Sentenced To Five Years In Prison

2、International Hacker-For-Hire Who Conspired With and Aided Russian FSB Officers Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison

3、Killnet

International Hacker-For-Hire Who Conspired With And Aided Russian FSB Officers Sentenced To Five Years In Prison ♂

　　SAN FRANCISCO – Karim Baratov, aka Kay, aka Karim Taloverov, aka Karim Akehmet Tokbergenov, 23, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine, which encompasses all of his remaining assets.

　　The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse for the Northern District of California, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, and Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office. The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.

　　“The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of hacking for hire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tse. “Hackers such as Baratov ply their trade without regard for the criminal objectives of the people who hire and pay them. These hackers are not minor players; they are a critical tool used by criminals to obtain and exploit personal information illegally. In sentencing Baratov to five years in prison, the Court sent a clear message to hackers that participating in cyber attacks sponsored by nation states will result in significant consequences.”

　　“Criminal hackers and the countries that sponsor them make a grave mistake when they target American companies and citizens. We will identify them wherever they are and bring them to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “I would like to thank Canadian law enforcement authorities for their tremendous assistance in bringing Baratov to justice. We will continue to work with our foreign partners to find and prosecute those who would violate our laws.”

　　“It's difficult to overstate the unprecedented nature of this conspiracy, in which members of a foreign intelligence service directed and empowered criminal hackers to conduct a massive cyber-attack against 500 million victim user accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. “Today's sentencing demonstrates the FBI's unwavering commitment to disrupt and prosecute malicious cyber actors despite their attempts to conceal their identities and hide from justice.”

　　Baratov, a Canadian national and resident, and three other defendants, including two officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s domestic law enforcement and intelligence service, were charged with a number of offenses relating to the hacking of webmail accounts at Yahoo and other service providers. In particular, the defendants were charged in a computer hacking conspiracy in which the two Russian FSB officers hired criminal hackers to collect information through computer intrusions in the United States and abroad, which resulted in the unauthorized access of Yahoo’s network and the spear phishing of webmail accounts at other service providers between January 2014 and December 2016.

　　Baratov’s role in the charged conspiracy was to hack webmail accounts of individuals of interest to his coconspirator who was working for the FSB and send those accounts’ passwords to Dokuchaev in exchange for money. The Indictment and additional documents setting out the allegations are available at www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/us-v-dmitry-dokuchaev-et-al.

　　Baratov has been detained since his arrest in Canada in March 2017. Baratov waived extradition to the United States and was transferred to the Northern District of California in August 2017. In November 2017, Baratov pleaded guilty to Count One and Counts Forty through Forty-Seven of the Indictment. Count One charged Baratov, Dokuchaev, Sushchin, and Belan with conspiring to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by stealing information from protected computers and causing damage to protected computers. Counts Forty through Forty-Seven charged Baratov and Dokuchaev with aggravated identity theft. As part of his plea agreement, Baratov not only admitted to agreeing and attempting to hack at least 80 webmail accounts on behalf of one of his FSB co-conspirators, but also to hacking more than 11,000 webmail accounts in total from in or around 2010 until his March 2017 arrest by Canadian authorities. In addition to any prison sentence, Baratov agreed to pay restitution to his victims, and to pay a fine up to $2,250,000, at $250,000 per count, with any assets he has remaining after satisfying a restitution award.

International Hacker-For-Hire Who Conspired With and Aided Russian FSB Officers Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison ♂

　　Karim Baratov, aka Kay, aka Karim Taloverov, aka Karim Akehmet Tokbergenov, 23, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay a fine, which encompasses all of his remaining assets.

　　Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse for the Northern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office made the announcement. The sentence was handed down today by U.S. District Judge the Honorable Vince Chhabria.

　　“Criminal hackers and the countries that sponsor them make a grave mistake when they target American companies and citizens. We will identify them wherever they are and bring them to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “I would like to thank Canadian law enforcement authorities for their tremendous assistance in bringing Baratov to justice. We will continue to work with our foreign partners to find and prosecute those who would violate our laws.”

　　“The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of hacking for hire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tse. “Hackers such as Baratov ply their trade without regard for the criminal objectives of the people who hire and pay them. These hackers are not minor players; they are a critical tool used by criminals to obtain and exploit personal information illegally. In sentencing Baratov to five years in prison, the Court sent a clear message to hackers that participating in cyber attacks sponsored by nation states will result in significant consequences.”

　　“It's difficult to overstate the unprecedented nature of this conspiracy, in which members of a foreign intelligence service directed and empowered criminal hackers to conduct a massive cyber-attack against 500 million victim user accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Bennett. “Today's sentencing demonstrates the FBI's unwavering commitment to disrupt and prosecute malicious cyber actors despite their attempts to conceal their identities and hide from justice.”

　　Baratov, a Canadian national and resident, and three other defendants, including two officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s domestic law enforcement and intelligence service, were charged with a number of offenses relating to the hacking of webmail accounts at Yahoo and other service providers. In particular, the defendants were charged in a computer hacking conspiracy in which the two Russian FSB officers hired criminal hackers to collect information through computer intrusions in the United States and abroad, which resulted in the unauthorized access of Yahoo’s network and the spear phishing of webmail accounts at other service providers between January 2014 and December 2016.

　　Baratov’s role in the charged conspiracy was to hack webmail accounts of individuals of interest to his coconspirator who was working for the FSB and send those accounts’ passwords to Dokuchaev in exchange for money.

　　The Indictment is available here, and its allegations are summarized in greater detail in the press release that attended the unsealing of the Indictment on March 15, 2017.

　　Baratov has been detained since his arrest in Canada in March 2017. Baratov waived extradition to the United States and was transferred to the Northern District of California in August 2017. In November 2017, Baratov pleaded guilty to Count One and Counts Forty through Forty-Seven of the Indictment. Count One charged Baratov, Dokuchaev, Sushchin and Belan with conspiring to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by stealing information from protected computers and causing damage to protected computers. Counts Forty through Forty-Seven charged Baratov and Dokuchaev with aggravated identity theft. As part of his plea agreement, Baratov not only admitted to agreeing and attempting to hack at least 80 webmail accounts on behalf of one of his FSB co-conspirators, but also to hacking more than 11,000 webmail accounts in total from in or around 2010 until his March 2017 arrest by Canadian authorities. In addition to any prison sentence, Baratov agreed to pay restitution to his victims, and to pay a fine up to $2,250,000, at $250,000 per count, with any assets he has remaining after satisfying a restitution award.

Killnet ♂

　　Killnet is a pro-Russia hacker group known for its denial-of-service attacks targeting government and private company websites in countries that supporting Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

　　The group was reformed shortly after the invasion to oppose “Russophobes” and protect the interests of Russian citizens. Before the invasion, Killnet sold DDoS-for-hire services based on their botnet. Although KillNet’s objectives often align with official Russian government organizations such as the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) or the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), their ties are unconfirmed.

　　Killnet is the most media-savvy pro-Russia hacktivist group. The attention it generates has allowed it to create a large social following and a cluster of like-minded hacktivist groups that share and act on common objectives. Prominent members of the cluster include Anonymous Russia, Anonymous Sudan, Infinity Hackers Group, BEAR.IT.ARMY, Akur Group, Passion Group, SARD and National Hackers of Russia.

　　In July 2022, KillMilk, the enigmatic leader of Killnet announced his plans to leave the group after an upcoming hack-and-leak operation against Lockheed Martin. Along with naming BlackSide as the group’s new leader, KillMilk announced a new direction in tactics geared towards more destructive attacks. The announcement, however, didn’t stick. Before long, the group was back to its old habits by targeting Western governments with DDoS attacks again.

　　In February 2023, Infinity Team, a collaboration between Killnet and Deanon Club, established its own forum and marketplace called Infinity. The forum offers advertisement space, paid status for those who want to perform business on the forum, and it currently offers a variety of hacking resources and services through its hack shop—including DDoS services.

　　In an intriguing twist of events, on March 12, 2023, KillMilk unveiled his newest venture: the Black Skills Private Military Hacker Company (PMHC). Black Skills aims to be the cyber equivalent the Wagner Private Military Company, an infamous Russian paramilitary organization. According to KillMilk, Black Skills PMHC is envisioned as a comprehensive hacktivist structure within the Russian community, complete with its own unique laws, objectives and an unwavering emphasis on discipline and order.

　　On May 25, Killnet introduced its first edition of the Dark School (telegra[.]ph/DARK-SHKOLA—KILLNET-04-04), a unique educational endeavor aimed at training individuals for various aspects of cyber warfare or for personal financial gain. The curriculum covers a wide array of topics, including DDOS, Google AdWords arbitrage, creation and promotion of fakes, carding, cyber intelligence, spyware use, social engineering, psychological warfare and sabotage methodology.

　　In June 2023, KillMilk disbanded the group’s main roster. The roster may be refreshed eventually, but only with new members who fit the stringent criteria set by KillMilk. The revised Killnet isn’t for armchair hackers and DDoSers, nor is it a platform for self-promotion or a ticket to overnight fame. Only the shrewdest minds, not the IT layabouts, will earn their place in the “new Killnet.” Exceptional students from the Dark School will receive an invitation to join.

　　See also:

　　US Civilian Network Infrastructure Targeted by Pro-Russian Hacktivists

　　Killnet Threat to Health and Public Sectors

　　Infinity Forum: Another Killnet Social Circle

　　Exploring Killnet's Social Circles

　　Rebooting Killnet, a New World Order and the End of the Tesla Botnet – Radware Blog

Related questions

Hiring white hat hackers involves a structured approach to ensure you engage skilled, ethical professionals who can enhance your organization's cybersecurity. Here's a comprehensive guide:

1. Define Your Needs

• Purpose: Determine if you need penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, incident response, or ongoing security monitoring.
• Scope: Identify systems, networks, or applications to be tested. Decide between in-house hires, consultants, or bug bounty programs.

2. Sourcing Candidates

• Platforms: Use bug bounty platforms like HackerOne, Bugcrowd, or Synack. These allow pay-per-vulnerability models.
• Certifications: Look for certifications (CEH, OSCP, CISSP) to validate skills.
• Job Boards: Post on Infosec Jobs, CyberSecJobs, LinkedIn, or Indeed.
• Networking: Attend conferences (DEF CON, Black Hat) or join forums (Reddit’s r/netsec, Hack The Box).

3. Vetting Process

• Technical Assessments: Use simulated environments (e.g., Capture The Flag challenges) to test practical skills.
• Interviews: Conduct technical interviews with scenario-based questions. Ask about past exploits and remediation strategies.
• Background Checks: Ensure clean legal history and verify references/reputation (e.g., HackerOne public profiles).

4. Legal and Compliance

• Contracts: Define scope, deliverables, and NDAs to protect sensitive information.
• Ethical Guidelines: Ensure adherence to laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and industry standards (ISO 27001).
• Liability Clauses: Outline responsibilities for unintended disruptions.

5. Hiring Models

• In-House: Suitable for ongoing needs. Offers better integration with internal teams.
• Consultants/Freelancers: Ideal for project-based work. Provides specialized expertise.
• Bug Bounties: Cost-effective for crowdsourced testing. Platforms manage payouts and reporting.

6. Integration and Culture

• Red Teams: Deploy white hats in red teams to simulate attacks and test defenses.
• Training: Support continuous learning through courses (e.g., Offensive Security, SANS Institute).
• Ethical Culture: Highlight your organization’s commitment to security and social responsibility to attract mission-driven candidates.

7. Ongoing Collaboration

• Feedback Loops: Regularly review findings and implement fixes.
• Stay Updated: Keep hackers informed about new systems or updates to maintain proactive defense.

8. Pitfalls to Avoid

• Incomplete Vetting: Avoid rushed hires without technical/ethical validation.
• Ambiguous Scope: Clearly define testing boundaries to prevent operational disruptions.

Example Workflow:

1. Post a detailed job listing on HackerOne for a web app penetration test.
2. Screen candidates via OSCP certification and a practical test on a demo environment.
3. Sign contracts with NDAs and scope agreements.
4. Integrate findings into your security roadmap, offering bounties for valid vulnerabilities.

By following these steps, you can effectively hire white hat hackers to strengthen your cybersecurity posture while maintaining ethical and legal standards.