Pres aide says identification by SIM card seems safe solution

MOSCOW, Nov 15 (PRIME) -- The person’s identification of Russians by SIM cards, including for banking services, will be a convenient and safe solution, presidential adviser for the Internet German Klimenko said on Wednesday.

“Since most of citizens have smartphones and SIM cards, it’s logical to use this option where it’s convenient, and simplicity of authorization will fit security,” Klimenko said.

“For example, one needs to sign a contract with a power supplier company to switch to the night tariff for a washing machine. We could think of cases when such a situation requires a strengthened electronic signature, but if no fantastic cases are in view, the situation is ordinary, safe and secure for application developers.”

SIM cards will not replace the passport, but could serve as an easy way of authorization, he said.

Mass media earlier reported that Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the financial market committee at the State Duma, said that the parliament’s lower house would initiate crafting of a bill in its spring session to turn the SIM card into a full-fledged identifier of a person.

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