Russian authorities are reportedly considering a proposal to implement Russian standards of cryptographic protection into the architecture of subscriber devices by 2030. The Working Group on Information Security has suggested including the requirement in the “Strategy for the Development of the Communications Industry in the Russian Federation for 2024-2035”. At present, domestic cryptography standards are primarily used in state information systems and are not represented in international standards of telecommunication protocols.
The introduction of such standards into mobile browsers and applications would not require hardware changes, but would involve the addition of Russian certificates. However, some experts have noted that the proposal is unclear on the extent to which Russian hardware will be used. There is also a lack of personnel and technical resources for full replacement of foreign equipment with Russian alternatives.
The preliminary text of the strategy has already mooted the introduction of “Digital SIM card” and installing Russian encryption standards in consumer devices and industrial equipment. The Ministry of Construction of the Mincifre has been working on creating physical SIM cards with Russian cryptography since 2013. The aim is to speed up their practical implementation. Rossvyaz ordered testing the use of Russian encryption algorithms in ESIM virtual SIM cards in 2020.
The right-handed development oversees the strategy preparation. There has been no comment on the proposal from the operators. Only time will tell if this proposal is accepted and how the encryption standards are implemented.