Deputy asks operators, IT firms on readiness for foreign intrusion

MOSCOW, Oct 18 (PRIME) -- Anton Gorelkin, a United Russia deputy of the State Duma, the parliament’s lower house, has sent requests to the heads of top local mobile operators and Internet companies on exploitation of foreign equipment and a possibility of its remote shutdown from abroad, PRIME reported on Friday, quoting the deputy’s Telegram channel.

The letters were sent to MTS, MegaFon, VimpelCom, and Tele2, as well as to Rambler&Co, Mail.ru Group, and Yandex.

Gorelkin said quoting media reports, that Gazprom had faced an enforced disconnection of foreign equipment via satellite.

“In order to protect the rights of citizens and their lawful interests, please answer the following questions within your powers. Does your company use equipment of foreign make to provide services? Is it possible that a manufacturer of equipment can remotely influence its performance?” the requests read.

The deputy also wants to know if the companies are ready to tackle the consequences of such situations quickly.

Gazprom’s two mobile compressor stations, produced by Austria’s LMF, were disconnected in 2012 via satellite. The gas giant designed a local trial analogue.

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