Shock and surprise after FBI arrests Canadian cybersecurity expert in ShinyHunters hacking case

Canadians in the cybersecurity world say they were shocked to hear a prominent ransomware negotiator was arrested by the FBI over suspected connections to criminal hacking group ShinyHunters.

The prominent ransomware negotiator was arrested last week

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Canadians in the cybersecurity world say they were shocked to hear that a prominent ransomware negotiator had been arrested by the FBI over suspected connections to criminal hacking group ShinyHunters. 

FBI Director Kash Patel on Friday confirmed the arrest of a "suspected co-conspirator" in the recent ShinyHunters cyberattack on FBIjobs.gov which exposed a trove of sensitive data about FBI staff.

"We will continue to work closely with our partners to disrupt what's left of the ShinyHunters group and their associates, no matter where they operate," Patel said on social media. 

Reuters reported Sunday that sources familiar with the matter identified the arrested suspect as Ed Dubrovsky, a Canadian cybersecurity executive whose career has focused on helping clients negotiate with ransomware attackers.

Court documents from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania show Dubrovsky is facing two criminal charges: conspiracy to threaten to impair the confidentiality of information with the intent to extort money, and interference with commerce by threats.

The allegations have not been proven in court. 

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies during a Senate Judiciary hearing on Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in September 2026 in Washington. Patel confirmed the arrest of a suspected co-conspirator in the ShinyHunters investigation. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/The Associated Press)

'A sense of shock'

"For the cybersecurity community in general, I think that there's a sense of shock," Toronto-based tech and cybersecurity analyst Ritesh Kotak told CBC News on Monday. 

Kotak says Dubrovsky is "very popular" and has spoken at numerous conferences, but stressed that the charges "are clearly just allegations" and that it is not yet known "what exactly has happened." 

"This is an individual that was for the most part respected when it came to ransomware negotiations," he said. "A lot of people are familiar with his work as well." 

• ShinyHunters hackers say they won't leak sensitive FBI data

• Dutch police arrest security professional in ShinyHunters investigation

The ​court records, which are partially sealed, provide conflicting spellings of the suspect's last ⁠name — "Dobrovsky" or "Dobrosky" — and do not identify his age, profession or employer.  

Prison records show a 54-year-old named Edward Dubrovsky is being held at a federal detention centre in Philadelphia.

Reuters reported that electronic wallet records leaked in 2010 and preserved by dark-web intelligence firm District 4 Labs identify Dubrovsky as a 54-year-old resident of Richmond Hill, a suburb of Toronto. 

Long history in cybersecurity

Dubrovsky's LinkedIn profile describes him as a specialist in ‌negotiating with cybercriminals over ransom payments, as well as a "globally recognized cybersecurity expert, business leader, speaker, author and educator." 

According to his profile, Dubrovsky has held senior positions in cybersecurity for decades. 

He wrote on LinkedIn last month that he would be attending the NetDilligence conference in Philadelphia in October with cybersecurity firm CyberSteward. The company posted photos of Dubrovsky at the conference a week ago and said he was signing copies of a book he recently published about handling cyber extortion.

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In the book's introduction, Dubrovsky writes: "I have negotiated with criminals who viewed themselves as martyrs, criminal masterminds, and patriots of their own countries even after deploying malware against critical infrastructure and causing billions of dollars in damage. Such people could still look in the mirror and see goodness." 

CBC News reached out to CyberSteward by phone, email and in person at its Toronto address, but did not get a response Monday. 

The FBI's national press office declined to comment directly on Dubrovsky's arrest and referred CBC News to Patel's statement.  

RCMP spokesperson Ian Lordon told The Canadian Press on Friday that "the RCMP is aware of the arrest of a Canadian in the U.S. in connection with the ShinyHunters hack," but directed all further questions to the FBI.

ShinyHunters 'poked the bear': expert

ShinyHunters is known as one of the world's most prolific data theft and extortion groups, typically demanding ransom payments in exchange for not releasing the sensitive data it has obtained. 

The hacking group caused chaos at universities around the world in May, including in Canada, with a cyberattack on Canvas, an online learning-management system that connects millions of students with their instructors. 

ShinyHunters has also been associated with high-profile cyberattacks affecting companies including Telus, Microsoft, Ticketmaster, Pornhub and Rockstar Games. 

• What drives ShinyHunters, the group that claimed responsibility for hacking the FBI?

Last month, the group claimed responsibility for stealing a massive trove of data from the FBI — including officials' job assignments, addresses and social security numbers — in what it said was retaliation for the law enforcement agency making false claims about the group.

ShinyHunters later told CBC News they would not release the data. 

David Shipley, a cybersecurity expert and CEO of Fredericton-based Beauceron Security, said the stunt "poked the bear" and has "literally unleashed the most powerful law enforcement agency in the world on them."

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Shipley said surprise was the first thing that came to mind when he heard of the latest arrest.

"I knew the ShinyHunters investigation was going to go in interesting places because it's already the stuff of Hollywood movies," he told CBC News.

"I don't think anyone saw this twist coming."

Shipley said Dubrovsky was well regarded and worked for "top-tier" cybersecurity firms. 

"I feel terrible for his former colleagues, both at his current firm and his past firms, who have been dragged through these awful headlines," he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Maimann is a senior writer for CBC News based in Edmonton. He has covered a wide range of topics for publications including VICE, the Toronto Star, Xtra Magazine and the Edmonton Journal. You can reach Kevin by email at kevin.maimann@cbc.ca.