September 21, 2016
In the framework
of implementing Russia's new anti-terror legislation, the so-called Yarovaya's
law, the country's Security Service - the FSB - is discussing the possibility
of decoding and analyzing the Internet traffic of Russia's citizens
with the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Industry, reported
the newspaper Kommersant on Wednesday, citing several informed sources.
The FSB, said the
sources, is considering decoding all Internet traffic in real time and
analyzing it based on key parameters. According to the plan, the other agencies
would offer assistance in further deciphering the traffic of those users who
attract the attention of law enforcement.
One of the
methods by which the FSB may choose to actualize its plan involves the
installation of MitM-attack (Man in the Middle) equipment. Such equipment, said
the source of the newspaper, intercepts and decrypts traffic as it leaves the
server and re-encrypts it using an SSL-certificate issued by the Russian
Certification Authority before forwarding it to the user. The FSB may also
choose to use DPI systems (Deep packet inspection), which are now used by
Russia's operators to filter websites included on the list of banned websites
compiled by the country's Internet surveillance watchdog Roskomnadzor.
The Ministry of
Industry declined to comment upon being contacted by the Kommersant, and
the FSB and the Ministry of Communications have yet to respond to the
newspaper's request.
Russia's new
anti-terror law, spearheaded by Duma deputy Irina Yarovaya and Federation
Council member Viktor Ozerov, grants the government sweeping new powers to
combat broadly-defined terrorism and extremism, and saddles Russia's telecoms
industry with onerous new regulations that include storing copies of all
telephone and Internet conversations.
