Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to take measures by September 1 this year to restrict the use of foreign software in Russia, including messengers developed in “enemy countries.”
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
The agency notes that WhatsApp, a product of the American corporation Meta, which is recognized as extremist in Russia, is under particular scrutiny. This messenger is one of the main targets for potential blocking.
The situation with Telegram is ambiguous. Its supposedly “independent” stance and refusal to cooperate with the authorities make its status uncertain, despite its Russian origin.
It has been confirmed that the Russian authorities have already created a new element of a centralized digital surveillance system – the Max messenger of VK. All officials have been ordered to switch to using it.
According to intelligence data, this application has full access to the microphone, camera, contacts, geolocation, and files. It cannot be turned off using standard means and uses rooting and system JAR files, which are signs of harmful software.
Data from the Max messenger is automatically transferred to servers linked to VK, which is controlled by Russian security services.
As reported by Ukrinform, after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia increased the number of hybrid attacks in Europe.
Photo: Flickr
Source: Russia tries to take control of messengers developed in “enemy countries”
