Unauthorized data access incidents reported by 19 entities since the New Year commenced.
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Hey there! Let's dive into some juicy news about data leaks in Russia.
First off, it was reported in early February that hackers allegedly breached the databases of Rostelecom's sites, rt.ru and zakupki.rostelecom.ru. These hackers claims they snatched a whopping 154,000 email addresses and 101,000 phone numbers.
But, here's the twist - Rostelecom clarified that these resources aren't designed to serve individuals, hence, private client data isn't stored. They admitted that the data breach may have occurred with one of their contractors, as there have been some ominous "information security incidents" in the past. Luckily, they claimed that no particularly sensitive data made its way online.
Now, let's talk numbers. According to Roskomnadzor, a staggering 135 database leaks were reported in 2024, affecting over 710 million records about Russians. Sber claimed that about 90% of Russia's adult population's personal data is already floating around the internet. Apparently, online stores and medical institutions are the main culprits.
In response to these incidents, Russia has tightened up on penalties for data leaks. In 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed laws that not only introduced fines for companies, but also established criminal liability for these leaks. For the first offense, companies could face fines of up to 15 million rubles, and up to 3% of their turnover for repeated offenses.
Want more news on this front? Hop on over to our Telegram channel, @expert_mag!
Note: Fines for companies and officials for data leaks occurring after May 30, 2025 are up to 3 million rubles (approximately $32,000) for companies and 400–800k rubles ($4,300–$8,600) for officials of state/municipal bodies or non-profits. Companies can also face fines of up to 15 million rubles and 3% of their turnover for repeat offenses.[1] Late notifications can result in fines for officials (30–50k rubles) and companies (100–300k rubles).[1] Repeat offense penalties aren't explicitly stated in provided search results, but the law introduces stricter oversight and enhanced fines compared to previous frameworks.[1] For reference, the U.S. recently introduced penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment and $1 million fines for willful breaches involving bulk sensitive data, but these apply to transactions involving countries like Russia, not domestic Russian enforcement.[3][4]
- The data leaks reported in early February affected Rostelecom's sites, rt.ru and zakupki.rostelecom.ru, with the hackers allegedly stealing 154,000 email addresses and 101,000 phone numbers.
- Despite the breach, Rostelecom clarified that its resources aren't designed to serve individuals' data, implying that private client data wasn't stolen, although a potential breach might have occurred with one of their contractors.
- The General News and Crime and Justice sections of our Telegram channel, @expert_mag, provide regular updates on technology-related leaks and the subsequent measures, such as the tougher penalties Russia implemented in 2024 to combat data leaks.
- In 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed laws that established fines for companies and criminal liability for data leaks, with first offenses facing fines of up to 15 million rubles and repeat offenses up to 3% of their turnover.
