The eminence of Stern within Russian cyber crime has been written on a large scale. The cryptocurrency-tracing firm chainalysis does not mention cyber criminal actors publicly and refused to comment on the identification of BKA, but the company emphasized that only the strict persona is one of the most profitable ransomware actors that follows.
“The research showed that Stern generated significant income from illegal activities, in particular in connection with ransomware,” the spokesperson for BKA tells Wired.
Stern “surrounds himself with very technical people, of which he often claims to have decades of experience, and he is willing to delegate substantial tasks to these experienced people he trusts,” says Keith Jarvis, a senior security researcher at cyber security company Sophos' Counter Threat Unit. “I think he has probably always lived in that organizational role.”
In recent years, increasing evidence has shown that Stern has at least a few separate connections with the Russian intelligence device, including the most important security agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). The strict handle mentioned an office for 'government subjects' in July 2020, while researchers have seen other members of the Trickbot group that Stern is probably the “link between us and the ranks/heads of the department type at FSB.”
The consistent presence of Stern was an important contribution to the effectiveness of trickbot and conti – just like the capacity of the entity to maintain and remain hidden strong operational safety.
As Sophos “Jarvis put it:” I have no thoughts about the attribution, because I have never heard a fascinating story about the identity of Stern of someone prior to this announcement. “
This story originally appeared on Wired.com.
