back to article Network security guy in extradition tug of war between US and Russia

A Russian network security specialist and former editor of Hacker magazine who is wanted by the US and Russia on cybercrime charges has been detained in Kazakhstan as the two governments seek his extradition. Nikita Kislitsin, an employee of Russian infosec shop FACCT, was detained on June 22 at the request of the US, …

  1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    "social networking service Formspring"

    Never heard of it. So I go looking.

    It says here that "Formspring was an anonymous Q&A forum. [..] It allowed people to anonymously ask questions and send messages to other users without having to sign up."

    The article states Kislitsin is accused of : "stealing usernames, email addresses, and passwords". How is that possible if users didn't need to sign up ?

    Or is it that users had to give a username and email when they posted, being able to change anytime they wanted ? That's just like signing up, then.

    I don't get it.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "social networking service Formspring"

      Your link also says:

      As with any other platform that gains its attraction for its anonymous features, Formspring’s users rushed in, but as the user base increased so did the problems that were associated with anonymity. Cyberbullying came to the level that several teen suicides were linked to the bullying that took place on the site.

      The startup tried to remedy by collaborating with the MIT Lab to search for a way to discourage cyberbullying. Eventually, the site had to limit the anonymity feature but that meant that it would lose its appeal, users started decreasing and growth simply froze.

    2. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

      Re: "social networking service Formspring"

      Formspring users often weren't anonymous. It was often used for Q&A sessions with artists and celebrities, like reddit AMAs.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "social networking service Formspring"

      yes 100%

  2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    Let me guess. If he gets extradited to Russia the charges there will be dropped shortly after he arrives.

    1. Roland6 Silver badge

      Would not be surprised if he gets sent to the US, his time in prison will be curtailed, provided he accepts the job offer…

      1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

        The motive for this warrant is that the Twitter hack embarrassed a lot of wealthy people. It's purely punitive.

  3. Insert sadsack pun here

    It's not because of Ukraine

    "FACCT was spun out from Group-IB last year – likely in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

    You said this last time you reported on Group-IB, and you failed to consider your own previous reporting that Group-IB's founder and CEO is still in pre-trial detention in Moscow on dodgy charges. All that happened months before Russia's further invasion of Ukraine, and is the actual cause of splitting the Russian and foreign businesses.

    https://www.theregister.com/2021/09/29/group_ib_ceo_arrested_treason_claims_russia/

    https://www.forbes.ru/tekhnologii/466849-il-a-sackov-forbes-srazu-posle-moego-zaderzania-sostoalas-bol-saa-vecerinka

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-12-03/who-is-ilya-sachkov-russian-cyber-ceo-linked-to-2016-election-fancy-bear-leaks#xj4y7vzkg

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