FSB will catch cybercriminals

FSB officers will receive the right to search the offices of IT companies, read e-mail and listen to cybercriminals.

On Thursday, October 17, the government introduced a bill to the State Duma, which vested the FSB with the appropriate operational-search powers.

According to RBC Daily , the bill was prepared by the Federal Security Service itself. He will complement the existing law "On operational-search activities." In the context of the fight against cybercrime, this activity is understood as searches, wiretap, surveillance, obtaining access to closed information on the Internet. The authority directly affecting the work of IT and telecom-freezers includes control over postal items, telegraphic and other messages, listening to telephone conversations and removing information from technical communication channels.

According to the current legislation, the FSB has the right to investigate cases related to the threat of state, military, economic and environmental safety. The bill introduced by the Government of the Russian Federation adds to this list and information security.

The explanatory note says that information and telecommunication technologies are often used "to prepare and commit crimes, including a terrorist orientation."

The authors of the document indicate that the objects of unlawful aspirations are, as a rule, information systems used by state authorities, credit and financial, educational institutions and the media, "including at critical infrastructure facilities."

It is no coincidence that the media mention, the source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs claims. The decision followed shortly after the scandal with the “dismissal” of the president of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin. On June 19, the news of the day was a message about his resignation and appointment of the ex-governor of the Sverdlovsk region Alexander Misharin in his place. This information was contained in a press release sent to the leading news agencies from the address identical to the address of the government’s press service. However, after half an hour the media had to be given refutations. The news of the departure of the chief of Russian Railways, as it turned out, was sent to reporters from an unknown IP, which does not correspond to the government address.