Published 1 hour ago • loading... • Updated 1 hour ago
Canadian ransomware negotiator arrested amid FBI hacker crackdown
He faces extortion-related charges as the FBI widens a crackdown on ShinyHunters after the group stole information on nearly every FBI employee.
On Thursday, federal authorities detained Canadian cybersecurity executive Edward Dubrovsky in Philadelphia, charging him with conspiracy to "threaten to impair the confidentiality of information with intent to extort money" and "interference with commerce."
The arrest follows an FBI-led global crackdown on the hacking group ShinyHunters, which rattled the bureau last month by stealing information on what it said was nearly every FBI employee.
CyberSteward, the company linked to Dubrovsky, advertises services specializing in "threat actor engagement, cyber-extortions, complex negotiations, and settlement facilitation," while his LinkedIn profile describes him as a specialist in negotiating with cybercriminals.
Confirming the apprehension, FBI Director Kash Patel stated on Friday that the bureau arrested a "suspected co-conspirator of the ShinyHunters group," though he declined further comment on the case.
Partially sealed records provide conflicting spellings of the suspect's name—"Dobrovsky" or "Dobrosky"—while federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have not returned repeated messages regarding these administrative discrepancies.