The Russian group WZOR, best known for their numerous Microsoft information and software leaks, has posted a statement on their recent disappearance and the groups possible connection to the recently convicted Microsoft leaker Alex Kibkalo.
The statement is written by a spokesman of the group and in it the group strongly denies any relationship to Alex Kibkalo. However his arrest has had its implications on WZOR. After the arrest of Kibalo the group closed its website and Twitter account, the statement also mentions the group froze its contacts with internal Microsoft information sources. The group went low profile to protect itself and its sources.
The statement further stresses that WZOR had and has no relationship of any kind to Kibkalo. The group argues that some "English-speaking sources" have stated that Kibkalo was involved in the registration of the Wzor.net domain. However, according to the spokesman, Kibkalo never had and doesn't have any relation to WZOR.
The statement further goes on explaining whether WZOR people and Alex Kibkalo know each other. According to the spokesman WZOR only knows Kibkalo from his blog about virtualization solutions. They have never met Kibkalo and will likely never meet him. They do hope Kibkalo will soon return to his friends and family and will write a book about the recent events, as Kibkalo suggested in his letter to the court. The group also calls Kibkalo a high class specialist.
The spokesman states that personal circumstances and the events around the Kibkalo case have forced WZOR to keep quiet for a while and estimates the group will be able to decide on their future in fall this year, when the spokesman also hopes to have solved his personal issues. In the meantime the WZOR blog and Twitter account should become active again.
The group also tries to explain how they are currently managing. The Wzor.net domain is currently registered to an address in the Finish city Tampere. Previous records show that a Linux System administrator Denis B. was listed at the owner of the domain, a trustee of the group as WZOR explains. According to WZOR the domain has been registered on their request and currently does not belong to anyone of the WZOR group.
Last but not least, the spokesman goes on on who WZOR is. This is a mystery and based on their statements that are always in Russian, we dare to say that it's at least someone born in a Russian speaking country. The group itself is clear about their identity, whoever they are, whether they are called Carl, Dan and/or Ingvar and live in either Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Russia or even in the United States and maybe work for Nokia, Skype, Microsoft or Adobe, maybe even just on a construction site, there is no benefit in revealing their identity.
A WZOR states, badly translated from Russian, "WZor is a collective image behind which stand over the years many people."
