German authorities have named a key figure behind some of the most notorious ransomware operations in recent years, linking a real identity to the REvil ransomware gang and its predecessor, the GandCrab ransomware network.

According to Germany’s Federal Criminal Police (BKA), a 31-year-old Russian national, Daniil Maksimovich Shchukin, has been identified as the individual operating under the alias “UNKN” or “UNKNOWN.” Investigators say he led both ransomware gangs and was directly involved in at least 130 cyberattacks targeting victims in Germany between 2019 and 2021.

The identification marks a significant development in the long-running investigation into the REvil ransomware gang, whic...