Threat Intelligence, Threat Management

Russian anti-terrorism law allows security firms to hack Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp

A recently passed Russian law has given the country's security firms the green light to crack encrypted communication services including Facebook Messenger, Skype and WhatsApp.

The Yarovaya Law was adopted as an anti-terrorism measure. An employee working with the security firm Con Certeza, which is responsible for helping develop the tools necessary to carry out the law, recently told the Russian publication Kommersant that their firm is researching the possibility of accessing sensitive data, identifying parties, obtaining their credentials, and Man-In-The-Middle attacks, according to Letallknow.

“We are going to look into the main messengers — WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Skype both for iOS and Android,” Letallknow reported the employee saying.

The law also requires social media and communications companies hand over encryption keys to assist state security agencies and requires all communications companies to retain information about data traffic on their servers for three years and one year for social media companies. 

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