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Russian Regulator Asks Courts To Disconnect Telegram
Russian telecoms and mass communications regulator Roskomnadzor has filed a lawsuit it hopes will see secure messaging app Telegram turfed out of the country.
Moscow’s been unhappy with Telegram for some time, dating back to a mid-2017 dispute over the company’s non-compliance with requests to register as a telecoms service provider. The service and the Kremlin have also tangled over access to encryption keys.
The latter dispute is at the root of this latest episode, which has seen Roskomnadzor seek to have Telegram booted out of Russia for non-compliance.
Telegram has previously asserted it doesn’t have any keys to hand over, so can’t comply with Russian orders to do so.
Russia Will Block Telegram Messaging App Due to Encryption
Russia to block Telegram app over encryption
A court in Moscow has approved a request from the Russian media regulator to block the Telegram messaging app immediately. The media regulator sought to block the app because the firm had refused to hand over encryption keys used to scramble messages.
Security officials say they need to monitor potential terrorists. But the company said the way the service was built meant it had no access to customers' encryption keys. Telegram had missed a deadline of 4 April to hand over the keys.
Russia's main security agency, the FSB, has said Telegram is the messenger of choice for "international terrorist organisations in Russia". A suicide bomber who killed 15 people on a subway train in St Petersburg last April used the app to communicate with accomplices, the FSB said last year. The app is also widely used by the Russian authorities, Reuters news agency reports.
The best endorsement.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday April 14 2018, @12:13AM (3 children)
Sure, just like how Apple "doesn't comply" with FBI requests.
(Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @12:18AM (2 children)
Yes, there is a false sense of security from this. At the same time, if telegram is legit, it should have a way of circumventing any blockage. If it can't, then it really isn't much good.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Saturday April 14 2018, @12:54AM (1 child)
If they decentralize it too much, they might not have a business model. My understanding is that end-to-end encryption between users is not the default.
As for defeating Russia's block, it could be easy:
https://venturebeat.com/2018/04/13/telegram-messenger-to-be-blocked-in-russia-following-court-ruling/ [venturebeat.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 14 2018, @05:34AM
If they decentralize it too much, they might not have a business model.
Well then, I guess needing a business model is the problem. If we can't do without that, we are doomed to eternal slavery to the businessman.