Wi-Fi by passport

The Russian authorities think about the method of identifying users of public Wi-Fi networks. As it became known to Kommersant, Roskomnadzor proposes to do this using special software, which will have to be installed on his device to a user who wants to connect to a public wireless Internet.

This proposal is contained in the presentation prepared by the head of the control and supervision department in the field of communications of Roskomnadzor Denis Paltsin. In fact, the requirement to identify users involving Wi-Fi in public places is contained in the government’s decree signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in July 2014. However, the procedure for such identification is not defined. A recent check by Roskomnadzor 18,000 public Wi-Fi networks showed that almost a third of them do not identify users.

According to the presentation of Roskomnadzor, in order to connect to wireless Internet, for example, in a cafe or airport you will have to install a special program on its device, which will require identifying and comparing the entered data with the data on which the SIM card was purchased. There are no details of this scheme, for example, the method of identifying devices that do not use a SIM card, in the document. The department emphasizes that the proposal has so far been discussed at the level of ideas with participants in the Internet market at the Spectrum-2016 forum, held in St. Petersburg this week.

The initiative was commented by the lawyer, the head of the legal practice of the public organization Roskomsvoboda , Sarkis Darbenyan :

-As it became known from the portal of Roskomnadzor, they checked legal entities for compliance with the government decree, which obliges to identify users of public weifers, and found that most legal entities do not identify users at all. Now they decided, in addition to identifying users by legal entities, to extend the rules to citizens so that the Wi -Fi just does not come in without identification of the individual. At the same time, proposals were made to tie this to the MAC address of the device or to the SIM card of each subscriber.

- Is it feasible?

- We understand that this is nonsense and another attempt to implement a state policy on total surveillance of citizens to know who the “surf” traffic and who entered any sites. However, within the framework of those technical devices that are on the hands of users, this is impossible to do, technologically this is in no way implemented. In addition, many no longer trust public access points and still use a proxy server to organize their traffic. In general, this initiative is, of course, contrary to the international principle about the right of users to anonymity and pursues the obvious goal - to take the current Russian legislation under the cap of all users of the Runet.

- Are there countries where such a practice exists?

Internet access is one of the fundamental rights in the digital era

- I would say that many countries, on the contrary, slowly refuse this policy. To take the same Germany in which similar principles existed for a long time, it is now following the path of liberalization and, in fact, canceled the need to identify each user. Because, undoubtedly, open wifi allows a larger number of citizens to gain access to the Internet, and access to the Internet is one of the fundamental rights in the digital era. And it seems to me to restrict the possibility of using Weifai, it contributes to network inequality, which the Russian authorities seem to be trying to fight, providing each citizen of the Russian Federation with the Internet.

- What exactly is the problem with the technical implementation? Why will not the scheme with the mandatory installation of software?

-There is no such software, and I can’t imagine how it is possible, for example, to force Linux users to install something. Moreover, such software will be considered harmful and many systems and antiviruses, I think, will fight it in every possible way, warn users that this software can harm them. It seems to me that technologically the idea is unrealized, and to oblige users on any devices, from Android to Linux, to install software to enter the wifi, doomed to failure.

-This week there were reports that the FSB is seriously developing a decryption system for the entire Russian Internet traffic, and this is also a task that many experts call technically unrealizable. And again - loud plans to control the Internet, which are very difficult to technically implement.

There is a desire to create a mechanism of total surveillance of citizens. However, it has nothing to do with reality

- I think that from the very beginning it was clear that the initiators of the Yarovaya Law give out what was desired for the actual and in reality it would not be possible to control traffic. It is impossible to intercept the raid and decrypt all the traffic, which exists on the network, is impossible. First of all, many service companies on the Internet are unlikely to agree to provide the keys from decryption. On many other technologies, which, for example, use Telegram or WhatsApp, encryption keys in principle cannot be conveyed, because they are formed on the final devices of users themselves. There is a desire to create a mechanism of total surveillance of citizens. However, it has nothing to do with reality and technology will always be one step ahead of our legislators.

- Russia will not be able to follow the Chinese path of global control over the Internet?

Initially, the whole fight against terrorism on the network is aimed at elementary cut of money

- In China, the Internet was originally built with the creation of infrastructure for surveillance, I believe that millions of cyber police officials work there. Russian reality is somewhat different. We lived for a long time, until 2012, on a free Internet. Working infrastructure to really monitor citizens and analyze traffic, we do not have. Like there are no human resources and elementary financial capabilities to support such a system. And we must take into account that the whole fight against terrorism is on the network, and under this sauce, the entire “spring package” and further actions to identify users were served, aimed at elementary cuts and enrichment of some individuals who will make the form that they control the global traffic of the Internet.

- Returning to the idea with the identification of users of public wifi networks, what is your forecast- will something come of it?

Perhaps this will happen in the form of selective law enforcement to show that there is reason to be afraid and that Roskomnadzor can come to your house and see if you are free from your phone free wifi your neighbor. But in practice, I think, massively the norm, even if it is introduced, will not be applied. And all this, of course, is doomed to failure, ”says Sarkis Darbenyan .