Discovered more than eight months ago, but abandoned by the Russian government, a computer breach unearthed by a certain Ivan Begtin has given access to personal data belonging to more than two million citizens of the country. Among them, high-ranking political regime.
If the find of Ivan Begtin is enough to worry the major authorities of the Russian Federation, it does not seem to alert the power in place. Eight months ago, the founder of the non-governmental organization Informational Culture investigated a computer breach related to a major leak of personal data concerning 2.25 million Russian citizens.
After informing Moscow, and more particularly Roskomnadzor, the country’s federal communications, information technology and mass media supervision service, without any reaction from them, he has been in constant contact with the government. on this subject. In response, and especially for his defense, the latter certified the legality of these data considered public.
DOUBLE SURVEY IN SUPPORT
Visibly dissatisfied with this reaction, Ivan Begtin began writing an article divided into three parts, in which he exposed his survey of government online certification centers, 50 government portals and a government platform. electronic auction used by official agencies. With, as a final conclusion, a string of personal data made available to all.Thus, at least twenty-three sites would contain a number of social security numbers, when passport-related information would appear on fourteen other sites. Other data would include the names, occupation and workplace, email, and tax identification number of the individuals involved. Among them are prominent members of the Russian political class.
POINTED FINGER DYSFUNCTIONS
The RBC media published its own investigation on April 29, 2019, which highlights the personal information of the Deputy Speaker of the State Duma (the Russian Parliament) Alexander Zhukov, the former Deputy Prime Minister, Arkady Dvorkovich. (2012-2018) and former Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais (1997-1998). Everything is currently still downloadable and available on the net, informs Ivan Begtin ZDNet.
For its part, the Kremlin relies on the same defensive strategy observed in recent months: these data do not have to be private, according to him. This does not preclude Mr. Begtin from pointing to an inconsistency in document management, low-skilled IT staff, and a lack of internal monitoring solutions. Three reasons that would explain a data leak of this magnitude.