Russian Operation Zero (OpZero) Specializes in Acquiring Zero-Day Exploits

Operation Zero is a Saint Petersburg–based zero-day brokerage that acquires high-quality, fully functional zero-day exploits from researchers (via encrypted channels such as PGP) and sells them—officially only to Russian clients—to supply state and affiliated offensive cyber operations; the report documents payout levels for mobile, desktop, server, and network targets, leadership, and the ecosystem’s blurred lines with ransomware and cybercriminal groups, arguing these capabilities enable high-end espionage and can trickle into extortion campaigns.