Russia’s state security forces face shortage of smartphone hacking equipment due to sanctions

Russian state security agencies are experiencing a shortage of smartphone hacking equipment due to international sanctions, according to a report by the business publication RBC released earlier today. The issue has worsened since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when foreign manufacturers halted exports to Moscow.

After 2022, several major companies withdrew from the Russian market, including Israel’s Cellebrite, Switzerland’s MSAB, and the U.S.-based Magnet Forensics. As a result, Russian security forces have been forced to rely on domestic alternatives, such as “Mobilny Kriminalist” (lit. “Mobile Forensics Expert”) by the Russian firm MKO-Systems, as well as Chinese products like Forensic MagiCube and solutions from the Russian company Elcomsoft.

Smartphone hacking tools allow law enforcement to access a suspect’s geolocation data, messenger conversations, and internet activity. However, the increasing security measures implemented by smartphone manufacturers make the hacking process more complex, requiring deep expertise in cryptography and reverse engineering, experts quoted by the publication note.

According to sources cited by RBC, the equipment shortage has led to delays in investigations and an increase in unresolved cases — particularly those in which a smartphone serves as the primary piece of evidence. To address this issue, they suggest that the Russian state may increase its efforts to collaborate with domestic research institutions in an attempt to develop an adequate substitute for Western technology.

Independent human rights advocacy project Perviy Otdel (lit. “Department One”) previously reported that Russian security agencies hack mobile devices at border checkpoints using Israeli firm Cellebrite's UFED (Universal Forensic Extraction Device), along withthe homegrown “Mobilny Kriminalist.” Despite Cellebrite officially cutting ties with Russia, its UFED devices remain in use at these checkpoints — often purchased indirectly. Meanwhile, China continues to procure UFED systems through “gray” intermediaries that maintain business ties with Cellebrite, despite the Israeli company's official stance against cooperation with Russia.