2026-05-29 –, Main Stage
The Russian infamous hacktivist group Killnet is more than meets the eye; it's a cyber army directed by a few to cause harm. With a checkered history and inconsistent behaviors, deciphering who is behind this group is challenging. Nevertheless, we will lift this veil and share a personal story of disrupting the group, unbalancing Killnet into chaos.
The infamous Russian hacktivist group, Killnet, operated as a clandestine cyber army, orchestrated by a select few to create chaos and inflict harm. Despite its notoriety, investigating the true operators behind Killnet proved to be a significant challenge, given its checkered history and inconsistent behavior. However, through an in-depth investigation and direct confrontation with the gang, we shed the veil of secrecy shrouding the group and will share a compelling personal account detailing how we disrupted Killnet, plunging it into a death spiral. Our strategy to dismantle this cyber army hinged on identifying a critical vulnerability – its connection to the Russian illegal drug marketplace - Solaris. By exposing this nefarious link and diverting proceeds from the Russian drug operation to support a Ukrainian charity, we triggered widespread questioning of Killnet's leadership and actions. This created an instability and within the group and beyond, ultimately leading to loss of support of the Russian government and breaking of financial ties. Delving deeper, we will explore the true identity of Killnet's leader, KillMilk, and explore his dark and criminal past. This will allow you to see some of the Killnet’s actions in a different light and interpret the public events and actions associated with Killnet. Our successful efforts to undermine Killnet's leadership have led to a spectacular downfall and disintegration of the entire collective. As of the beginning of this year, Killnet changed drastically, leaving behind remnants of a group once synonymous with disruptive hacktivism. Our small push against Killnet set forth a chain of events changing the trajectory of the group and leaving it far removed from its former destructive pursuits. Join me as I unravel the complex narrative of Killnet, offering insights into the evolution of cyber warfare and the enduring struggle to combat malicious actors in the world of cyber warfare and disruptive hacktivism.
Alex Holden is the founder and CISO of Hold Security, LLC. Under his leadership, Hold Security played a pivotal role in information security and threat intelligence, becoming one of the most recognizable names in its field. Mr. Holden researches minds and techniques of cyber criminals and helps our society to build better defenses against cyber-attacks.