Ex-L3Harris exec jailed for selling zero-days to Russian exploit broker

Bleeping Computer

by Sergiu Gatlan

February 25, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

A former executive at L3Harris, Peter Williams, has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for stealing and selling zero-day exploits—advanced hacking tools—to a Russian cyber broker. Williams, an Australian national who once led Trenchant, a specialized cybersecurity unit within L3Harris, exploited his position of trust by removing sensitive software from secure networks and selling it to Operation Zero, a Russian entity that resells such tools to non-NATO clients. The stolen exploits could have enabled access to millions of devices globally, posing significant risks to national security. Between 2022 and 2025, Williams transferred at least eight protected exploit components from Trenchant’s offices in Sydney and Washington, D.C., using a portable external hard drive and encrypted channels. These tools were intended exclusively for the U.S. government and its allies through the Five Eyes intelligence partnership. The financial impact of this betrayal was substantial, with L3Harris suffering $35 million in losses and Williams pocketing $1.3 million in cryptocurrency from the sale. The court case highlighted the severity of Williams’ actions, which included selling national security software for up to $4 million worth of cryptocurrency. U.S. District Court Judge Loren AliKhan sentenced Williams to 87 months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $1.3 million, luxury assets, and other proceeds from his crimes. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, emphasized that Williams’ betrayal compromised American defense capabilities and endangered global IT infrastructure. This case underscores the critical importance of safeguarding trade secrets and national security software. By selling these tools to adversarial nations like Russia, individuals like Williams not only commit financial fraud but also threaten international stability. The U.S. Treasury Department has also imposed sanctions on Operation Zero and its owner, further signaling the seriousness with which such cyber threats are being addressed. For readers interested in cybersecurity, this case highlights the dangers of insider threats and the global reach of cyber

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Originally published on Bleeping Computer on 2/25/2026