Russia considers brief switch-off from global internet to test defences

Russia is considering whether to disconnect from the global internet briefly, as part of a test of its cyber-defences. The test will mean data passing between Russian citizens and organisations stays inside the nation rather than being routed internationally. A draft law mandating technical changes needed to operate independently was introduced to its parliament last …

Twitter bans Kaspersky Lab from its Ad platform, EFF gains all that advertising cash instead

Kaspersky seems to be getting into more trouble in the US with its services being either banned or grounded. Months after the US Government ordered its federal agencies to stop using any internet security software provided by Kaspersky Lab. Kaspersky indicated it had appealed to a US federal court on the grounds the ban it …

Russia blocked Amazon, Google network addresses while trying to shut down Telegram

In an effort to shut down Telegram, Russia blocks Amazon, Google network addresses ARS Reports. Roskomnadzor—Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media—moved to enforce a new Russian federal law blocking the use of Telegram. The censorship began with Roskomnadzor instructing Internet service providers to block requests to Internet Protocol addresses of Telegram’s …

Russia bans Telegram messaging app after it declined to reveal its encryption key

Russia has banned the Telegram messaging app after it – because the company refuses to reveal its encryption key. A court in Moscow ruled to block the popular app after the firm declined to give state security services access to private conversations. It followed a long-running battle between authorities and Telegram, which has a reputation …

Telegram rebuffs Russian regulators to hand over user data

Telegram rejected demands from Russian regulators to hand over data, The app maker has told the regulator that it is technically unable to hand the encryption keys to user accounts to the country’s secret services. This comes just weeks after the messaging platform was ordered to do so or risk being banned in the country …

Kaspersky Lab appeals antivirus ban in US court

Allegations that Moscow-based Kaspersky, which sold more than $600 million of anti-virus software globally in 2015, knowingly or unknowingly helped Russian intelligence steal top-secret information from the US have effectively killed its business here and hurt its worldwide reputation. The US Government has just ordered its federal agencies to stop using any internet security software …

Splinternet? Russia wants to build ‘independent internet’ for BRICS nations

The Russian government has made indications that it will build an “independent internet” for use by itself, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa — the so-called BRICS nations — “in the event of global internet malfunctions,” the Russian news site RT reported on Tuesday. Moscow precisely intends to create an alternative to the global Domain Name System, or DNS, the directory that helps …

Symantec will no longer allow government source code reviews due to unacceptable risk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-based cyber firm Symantec (SYMC.O) is no longer allowing governments to review the source code of its software because of fears the agreements would compromise the security of its products, Symantec Chief Executive Greg Clark said in an interview with Reuters. Tech companies have been under increasing pressure to allow the Russian …

Russians rally against harsh legislative controls on the internet

Around 1,000 people marched through central Moscow on Sunday to protest against the government’s harsh legislative controls on the internet. Russia in recent years has moved to impose restrictions on internet use, blacklisting web pages for extremist content and prosecuted a growing number of individuals for posting online. Protesters on Sunday highlighted the case of …