Alex Holden - Versus Killnet (BSidesFrankfurt 2025)
How Killnet Was Taken Down: The Inside Story by Alex Holden
Killnet, Russia’s notorious hacktivist collective, operated as a shadowy cyber army—until a bold investigation exposed its hidden vulnerabilities. Alex Holden reveals how a deep dive into the group’s ties to the Russian darknet drug marketplace, Solaris, became the key to its undoing. By diverting illicit profits to a Ukrainian charity, the operation triggered a crisis of trust, eroding government backing and crippling Killnet’s infrastructure.
This talk uncovers the true identity of Killnet’s leader, KillMilk, and explores how targeted actions led to the group’s dramatic collapse. From hacktivism to disintegration, Alex Holden shares the tactics, risks, and lessons from dismantling one of the world’s most destructive cyber threats.
Slides: https://bsidesfrankfurt.org/files/Ver...