The Ministry of Digital Development commented on information that appeared today in a number of media outlets that from September 1, 2026, Russian civil servants, employees of the Central Bank and other structures may be prohibited from using foreign messengers for work purposes. The department noted that "incorrect information has spread on the network", and explained how things are with the development of the bill in reality.
The initiative is still being finalized. Currently, it is only about the interaction of employees of government agencies and banks with external clients. Employees will be able to contact them through Russian messengers after confirmation through a unified identification and authentication system (ESIA). This will prevent fraud, such as illegal debiting of funds or оформление кредита.
ESIA provides secure user identification and reliable protection of their data. For example, if someone writes to a citizen on behalf of a bank through a foreign messenger, this will be a clear sign of fraud, since official communication will only be through verified channels from verified employees. Government employees have long been using domestic "Sreda" services for work and interdepartmental interaction, which cover more than 60 departments.
The department emphasized that this initiative is only part of a set of measures to reduce and prevent cyber fraud, developed by the Ministry of Digital Development jointly with the Bank of Russia and law enforcement agencies.
Earlier it became known that the Russian economy may lose up to a trillion rubles by the end of 2024 due to cyber attacks.
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