Russian Minister Proposes Blocking All SIM Cards of Scammers Banned in MAX Messenger
Blocking a fraudulent account in MAX may lead to further restrictions at the mobile network level. Maksut Shadaev, head of the Ministry of Digital Development, proposed considering the disconnection not only of the number used in the messenger but also of all other SIM cards belonging to the same owner.
The minister’s statement, reported by TASS, emphasizes that banning the messenger account alone is not enough and that operators must continue the countermeasures. Authorities are also discussing a cooling-off period during which the person would be unable to register new numbers, aiming to complicate any return to fraudulent activity after a block.
The duration of the restrictions, the procedure for transmitting information to operators, and the appeals process were not detailed in the statement. Accurate identification of the owner and confirmation of their involvement in fraud remain key challenges, as a number may be used by someone other than the registered owner or may have been compromised.
The proposal does not imply that every ban for violating MAX rules will automatically result in mobile service disconnection; the minister specifically referred to measures against fraudsters.
Related articles
Avito Develops Cyberdetective Browser Game to Train Employees on Real-World Attacks Using MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
Avito security awareness specialist Ilya Nikiforov created the browser-based Cyberdetective game over 74 days to move beyond traditional courses and train practical responses to attacks. The game places players in the fictional company Lumi where they control mascot Spok the honey badger, investigating six cases based on authentic attack chains documented in MITRE ATT&CK. Scenarios cover physical access via unlocked laptops, invoice domain spoofing, voice cloning of executives, MFA fatigue attacks, and evidence preservation during incident response. The project relied heavily on AI agents including Claude Code and Codex for coding and testing while Nikiforov handled scenario design, methodology, and acceptance. Additional AI tools generated art, animations, voiceovers, and music, resulting in 80 JavaScript modules, roughly 2,200 automated tests, and 18 distinct interactive mechanics. The game emphasizes safe mistake-making, chain-of-events thinking, and specific actions such as callback verification rather than blanket refusal of all requests.
Scammers Use *#62# USSD Command to Fabricate Surveillance Claims and Steal Victims' Funds
Fraudsters are exploiting the USSD command *#62# to convince targets that their phones are being tapped, then directing them to hand over cash to supposed couriers. The scheme begins with a familiar pretext such as a doorphone replacement or parcel delivery, after which the victim is tricked into revealing a verification code that the attackers themselves sent. A fake government official then claims the victim's account has been compromised and an extremist has been granted power of attorney. Victims are instructed to visit a counterfeit state website, enter *#62#, and interpret the displayed forwarding number as proof of interception. In reality the code only reveals call-forwarding settings for when the phone is unreachable, often showing a voicemail or missed-call service number. T-Bank warns that the displayed number has no connection to surveillance and urges anyone receiving such calls to hang up and contact the real organization through official channels.
Aroshka Cloud Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged False Claims of SOC 24/7 Operations and High-End Infrastructure
StackWorks has published the fourth installment in its investigative series on Aroshka Cloud, detailing how the cloud storage provider accused the studio of orchestrating a DDoS attack shortly after the third part appeared. The service published five posts claiming technical evidence linked StackWorks to the attack, including IP traces from Moscow, Ufa, and Stavropol, while asserting that its SOC 24/7 team mitigated a 3.5 Gbit/s assault within seconds. StackWorks responded with a pre-trial claim demanding removal of the posts and a public retraction, which Aroshka Cloud rejected within seven minutes. Analysis of the provider’s own Kwork job postings reveals requests for template-based support staff, a five-VDS server pool, and later up to eight NVIDIA H200 GPUs with InfiniBand, contradicting public statements about multi-country data centers and round-the-clock security engineers. Further inconsistencies include mismatched time zones in email headers, inflated user statistics, and reliance on the BeDrive script rather than custom development. The investigation continues with plans to involve law enforcement regarding suspicious visitor logs.
Reports Surface on Alleged De-Anonymization of Admins Running Major Russian Hacker Forums
An independent researcher has compiled publicly available information pointing to the possible identities of administrators behind prominent Russian-language darknet forums including exploit.in and duty-free.to. The analysis traces exploit.in back to its 2006 launch by a user known as Toha, later linked to Ukrainian authorities or associates, with the forum reportedly transferred or sold. Forum moderator Quake3, identified in open sources as Anatoly Kravchuk, ceased activity in October 2026 and appears on a German police wanted list. Additional details from forum posts and anonymous Telegram channels name Mikhail Rytikov, known as Abdulla, as a key figure tied to server hosting and operations. The report also notes the recent involvement of known Russian hacker wazawaka on duty-free.to and highlights the declining viability of several legacy forums due to law enforcement actions. All claims are presented as unverified public speculation without new original sourcing.