PRESS: Federal Security Service wants encryption keys from Yandex

MOSCOW, Jun 4 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Security Service has asked Internet company Yandex to provide it with encryption keys of Yandex.Mail and Yandex.Disk, but the company refused since the keys can give access to user passwords to the whole Yandex ecosystem, RBC Daily reported on Tuesday.

The service sent the request several months ago, several sources told the daily, adding that the company has not given the keys yet, although the law gives it 10 days to obey.

Russia earlier blocked popular messenger Telegram for its refusal to share encryption keys with the security watchdog, which wanted them to decode the users suspected of terrorist attacks in the St. Petersburg metro.

Yandex.Mail and Yandex.Disk are on the register of organizers of information distributions, or Internet platforms where users can exchange messages.

A Yandex spokesperson said the company “works in full compliance with the existing law.”

Cisco Systems information security consultant Alexei Lukatsky said that “the session key encodes the login and the password that a user sends to the server when authorizing, and the key could give the Federal Security Service access to users’ authentication data.”

Yandex exploits system Single Sign-On, where once authorized with Yandex.Mail, one can access Yandex.Music or Yandex.Disk or any other service without extra authentication, the expert said.

A source close to Yandex said the company is worried that cooperation with the Federal Security Service could result in an outflow of users and a loss of a market share and money. “The Federal Security Service does not force foreign companies, like Google, to such cooperation, and Yandex sees a threat to its competitive position here,” the source said.

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