Roskomnadzor, the department responsible for communications regulation and surveillance in Russia, has reported 27 cases of personal data breaches involving 165 million records of Russians in the first half of 2022. According to TASS, the department has suggested that foreign special services were responsible for the cyberattacks due to the nature and scale of the hacks. The attackers exploited vulnerabilities in software, servers, and telecommunication equipment, including many for the first time.
Roskomnadzor is proposing changes to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and the implementation of specialized search measures to prosecute those who sell data on the network and to prevent further personal data theft. Additionally, the department is seeking comprehensive measures to safeguard Russian services against any further hacker attacks.
Since the implementation of a new law in September 2022 that requires operators to report any personal data compromises to Roskomnadzor, the department has received 130 messages about leaks. Roskomnadzor also recalls that in 2022 more than 140 cases of personal data breaches of Russians have been recorded from different sources like network food users, logistics companies, and other institutions.
The measures to strengthen cybersecurity come as the frequency of attacks on critical infrastructure worldwide has increased. Such attacks have demonstrated a growing threat to the security and privacy of individuals and organizations globally.