Ilya Sachkov (Илья Сачков) is a Russian cybersecurity expert and founder and CEO of Group-IB, a cybersecurity company specialising in the detection and prevention of cyberattacks. He received an award from Russian President Vladimir Putin for his work in 2019.[1][2] In September 2021, he was detained by the Russian government's Federal Security Service on treason charges.[3][4][5][6]

According to Bloomberg News, he is alleged to have provided the U.S. government with information about the Russian government's "Fancy Bear" operation that sought to influence the 2016 United States presidential election.[2]

Career

Sachkov started Group-IB at age 17 while studying at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, and according to the Financial Times, "attempted to build a global business while remaining on the good side of the Russian government."[4]

In June, 2017, Sachkov was appointed a Commissioner in the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, an international multistakeholder commission to develop diplomatic norms against national cyber-attacks. He served until the commission's successful conclusion in November, 2019.[7]

Views on Russian government handling of cybercrime

In a panel with Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin in attendance, Sachkov criticised the Russian government's response to ransomware attacks emanating from Russia, pointing to Maksim Yakubets as an example. Sachkov's criticism of the Russian government's apparent tolerance of some online criminals continued until late until his arrest by the FSB in September 2021.[4]

Detention and conviction on treason charges

In a statement released by his lawyer to Forbes Russia in November 2021, Sachkov rejected the treason charges saying he is "neither a traitor nor a spy" and appealed to Putin to move him to house arrest while he awaits trial, after his detention was extended by three months.[8][9] Russian businessman Boris Titov called for answers in a Facebook post, saying "It is necessary for investigators to explain themselves", otherwise it would deal a "critical blow" to the sector.[3] Russian state news agency TASS said the case materials are "classified" and "no further details are available."[10] In June 2023, the case was transferred to the Moscow City Court for consideration on the merits.[11]

Group-IB co-founder Dmitry Volkov who took over as chief executive said the company did not know what Sachkov had been charged with and was convinced of his innocence. Volkov said that since all case materials are classified, it "provides fertile ground for rumours and speculations", saying that without access to those materials "making any assumptions or promoting any versions would be wrong."[4]

According to Russian news outlet RBC, a lawyer for Sergei Mikhailov, a former FSB cyber official convicted of treason, Sachkov gave false testimony which led to the conviction.[4][2]

According to Bloomberg News, Sachkov was alleged to have provided information to western intelligence agencies about Vladislav Klyushin, a founder of another cybersecurity company, who was arrested in Switzerland in March 2021.[2]

On July 25, the Moscow court sentenced Sachkov to "14 years in prison."[12] The sentence was a reduction from the state prosecutor's original request for an 18-year sentence and was delivered during an in camera session.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Meeting with winners of Nemaly Business Prize". President of Russia. 6 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Irina Reznik; Henry Meyer; Jordan Robertson (December 2, 2021). "The Fall of a Russian Cyberexecutive Who Went Against the Kremlin". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
  3. 1 2 "Russia detains cyber-security tycoon Ilya Sachkov in treason case". BBC News. 29 September 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Seddon, Max (13 October 2021). "Russia sends warning to cyber security sector with arrest of Ilya Sachkov". Financial Times.
  5. ↑ "Russia detains cybersecurity group director Ilya Sachkov on treason charges". 29 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "Russian cybersecurity executive appeals to Putin as detention for treason extended". Reuters. 23 November 2021.
  7. ↑ Sazonov, Alexander (29 September 2021). "Group-IB Founder Sachkov Arrested in Moscow on Treason Charges". Bloomberg. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "Криминалисты из интернета: как устроено главное в России кибердетективное агентство". Forbes.ru. 22 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Russian Cybersecurity Entrepreneur Detained for Treason Claims Innocence". 23 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "Ilya Sachkov handed over classified cybersecurity data to foreign intelligence — source".
  11. ↑ "Дело основателя Group-IB Сачкова поступило в суд". РИА Новости (in Russian). 2023-06-26.
  12. ↑ "Russia Sentences Leading Cybersecurity Entrepreneur to 14 Years for Treason". 26 July 2023.
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