Ruslan Stoyanov, head of the cyber crime investigation in the antivirus company Kaspersky Lab, was arrested and placed in Lefortovoe jail. The arrest may be connected with the investigation, which is carried out in respect of one of the deputy headx of the Information Security Center of the FSB. This, according to some, is nothing less than treason.

In Kaspersky Lab, Ruslan Stoyanov was responsible for the investigation of cyber crimes, and so he closely cooperated with law enforcement agencies, but only on work issues. However, according to Kommersant, which is citing its own sources in the FSB, in December, the top manager was detained, and almost at the same time as the head of one of the departments of Information Security Center of the FSB, Sergey Mikhailov. The exact dates are unknown, the detained persons do not answer phone calls, so we can only the last activity in social networks: Ruslan Stoyanov was last online on December, 4, Sergey Mikhailov - on December, 5. He was also absent from the meeting held on December, 12.

The fact that something is wrong in the FSB Information Security Center was first mentioned around 10 days ago, when there were rumors that the department head, Andrey Gerasimov, might lose his position. And precisely because the internal security department launched an investigation against one of his deputies. It was also said that all private companies that collaborated with the FSB in conducting examinations related to cybercrime were under checks. 

Representatives of several IT-companies clarified that the investigation was carried out according to Art. 275 of the Criminal Code ( "treason"). The same information was confirmed by a federal official close to the FSB. Presumably, one of tje ISC employees received monetary compensation from a foreign company or organization. A mediator in taking bribes was an employee of the Russian company also engaged in information security.

Kaspersky Lab itself has confirmed the arrest of the employee, noting, however, that Stoyanov was detained as an individual, while he still had his post.

"No personnel changes have yet been carried out," the press-service of the company siad. There isn't any more detailed comment.

"The most popular question to me today is whether there's Kaspersky's phone number he might reply," wrote president's advisor on the Internet, German Klimenko, on his FB page. 

The detained Sergey Mikhailov is a key top-manager of the Center, who was one of those to determine the situation in the Russian internet businesses, as well as in the field of cybersecurity. According to those who worked with him, Mikhailov served as a kind of mediator between Internet companies and special services to help them find a common language. How does the arrest of the chief of department affect the e-commerce market of the Russian Federation, experts find it difficult to say, at least until the moment the FSB publishes some official information.

Partnership of the FSB, the Interior Ministry and acting under the Kaspersky Lab department investigating computer incidents has been active for more than three years. Experts of the Kaspysky Lab helped law enforcement officers in the area of cyber crime analysis, and provided expert support of criminal cases related to cyber security.

"We help them to address the issues of security of industrial systems, protect, let's say, turbines, that is everything that spins, burns, rotates and produces electricity," said the other day Yevgeny Kaspersky.

As for Ruslan Stoyanov, he came to Kaspersky from the so-called K-Department, dearling with special technical activities of the Moscow police. Other employees of the department to investigate cybercrime are also natives of the security forces, in particular, from the same K-Department and the Investigative Committee. All of them are the best experts in their field. And that's why the relationship between the Lab and the FSB may become cooler, but will not be interrupted. Even if Ruslan Stoyanov is formally charged.

Problems in the department occured in extremely inappropriate moment. 2017, according to the head of Kaspersky Lab, will be marked by a large number of cyber attacks, primarily at the computer systems used by industrial facilities, transportation, and power plants. Hackers, according to Yevgeny Kaspersky, have played enough in hacking computers and mobile phones, and are looking for new achievements.

"I am very afraid that this year we will see more attacks on completely different computerized devices and industrial projects," said Kaspersky.

Reference

Center for Information Security of the Russian FSB is a specialized department engaged in providing information security of Russia, investigating crimes in the field of e-commerce and the illegal distribution of the personal data. Created on the basis of the Office of Computer and Information Security of the FSB counter-intelligence department.