PRESS: Putin orders govt to equip officials with domestic code soft

MOSCOW, Jul 19 (PRIME) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to organize a switch of state entities to software with domestic cryptographic information protection tools by December 1, 2017, but the move could involve citizens as well, business daily Kommersant reported Tuesday, referring to sources.

The president wants federal and municipal authorities, as well as state non-budget funds to start using domestic encryption tools in their internal communication, as well as with other organizations and citizens.

A person close to the presidential administration said the order engages browsers, systems of electronic document circulation, which are used to hand over forms and statements to the Federal Tax Service and the Pension Fund.

“The order says that citizens will be allowed to use soft with Russian cryptographic algorithms for interaction with state authorities for free. In practice, they will be forced to use this soft to get in touch with state entities, otherwise they will be unable to file a statement,” the source said.

The soft could be installed for 1.5 million officials and users of the state services Web site, which had 7.5 million unique visitors in 2015. The order is a logical step following the recently adopted package of antiterrorist laws, the source said.

End