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A Moscow resident has been charged by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) with treason for carrying out distributed denial of services (DDoS) attacks on critical infrastructure. The individual, a former employee of a science-related organization, could face 20 years in prison if convicted, according to Tass.
This case stands out because, while there have been other DDoS-related prosecutions in Russia, they were not charged with treason, such as in this case, and the shift to a treason charge is particularly harsh. For example, last year an IT specialist from Rostov was sentenced to three years in prison for DDoS attacks against the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and a website associated with President Vladimir Putin.
The FSB claims that the suspect, who allegedly opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, established contact with Ukrainian special services. He is accused of targeting “critically important objects of the Russian Federation” in an attempt to disrupt Russian infrastructure. In addition to the DDoS attacks, the suspect reportedly transferred personal funds and cryptocurrency to Ukrainian accounts used to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The FSB also accuses him of collecting data on Russian military personnel and the movement of military equipment.
The suspect was initially arrested earlier this year and faced charges related to “illegal influence on the critical information infrastructure.” However, the FSB has now upgraded the charges to treason, a more serious offense in Russia that can result in a prison sentence ranging from 20 years to life. This shift to a treason charge is significant, reflecting the heightened severity with which Russian authorities are treating this case.
The decision to pursue treason charges in this instance highlights the broader context of increasing scrutiny and severe legal repercussions for those accused of undermining Russian security amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
