Russia is all set to test its sovereign internet infrastructure which it claims will help if foreign nations launch cyber attacks on its global internet connectivity. However, Free-speech activists fear that Vladimir Putin led the nation is looking to gain more control over user activity with the latest bill.
According to the sources reporting to Cybersecurity Insiders, the reliability test on the intranet connectivity of the domestic internet infrastructure will be made on December 23rd, 2019 afternoon and the move is said to help the country to see the consequences when its servers get disconnected from the world wide web.
However, no internet user in Russia will experience any kind of disruption in the connectivity with the test and the test consequences will only be seen at the virtual level of certain national infrastructure.
Last Year, Russia decided to make a law on sovereign internet and passed out a bill on the issue in November’18. The law was aimed to tighten the censorship control over the network, which the free speech activists are opposing right from day one.
Putin led the government says that the law and the intranet development took place due to the aggressive nature of the United States on the National Cyber Security strategy.
Note 1- As per the law, all the communication operators, Internet service providers will be asked to participate in the tests along with some state-run institutions and security services.
Note 2- In one of his media conversations early this month, Putin clarified that the bill is not meant to curb the internet usage of its users. But is aimed to prevent any negative repercussions of being disconnected from the global internet network- as the global server management and control are mostly located in the West.
Note 3- Technically the aim is to build a new and state-owned domain name system that is in control of the Russian government. So, the legislation aims to route Russian web traffic and data through government-owned nodes; unlike previously where the country depended on servers operating abroad.
Note 4- A spokesperson from the Russian Communications Minister Yevgeny Novikov is said to provide a detailed report to the media on the test and results by Friday this week.
Note 5- “Roskomnadzor” which happens to be the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media has confirmed that news and said that it will act as a central command center to the country’s network. Meaning ‘Roskomnadzor’ the Russian Legal Information Agency will act as a Central monitoring point to the web traffic being accessed and emerging from Russia.
