Russian Ministry Proposes Mandatory Phone-Number Authentication for Foreign Websites and Apps
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development (MinTsifry) has put forward a proposal that would force foreign websites and mobile applications to authenticate users inside Russia solely by mobile-phone number. Traditional login methods such as email or social-network accounts could be removed under the new rules.
The requirement appears in the draft third package of anti-fraud measures titled Antifraud 3.0, according to business daily Vedomosti. In addition to phone-based authentication, owners of overseas resources would have to store registration data, login records and account-deletion information for three years and supply these records to Russian law-enforcement bodies on request.
The changes are intended to be introduced into Article 8 of the federal law On Information. The draft is currently undergoing inter-agency coordination; the government aims to submit the full legislative package to the State Duma in autumn 2026.
Industry observers note that international companies may be reluctant to redesign their authentication systems for a single market. They would need to identify Russian users and implement a separate login flow, an effort some services may decide is not worth the cost. As a result, certain platforms could withdraw from Russia, while some users may choose not to register at all if a phone number is mandatory.
A further complication concerns the definition of a foreign resource operating in Russia. Services such as Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, have already been blocked and declared extremist organisations; their legal operation in the country has ceased, making enforcement of the new obligations practically difficult.
Antifraud 3.0 contains additional provisions, including a ban on disclosing the recipient’s personal data in SMS messages and an expansion of the data sets that telecommunications operators must retain for three years and disclose to special services.
Related articles
Web Certificate Trust Chains and State Access Risks Explained Amid Russian Banking Sanctions
The article explains the hierarchical structure of web certificates used for site authentication and traffic encryption, starting from highly protected root certificates stored in air-gapped facilities with Shamir's secret sharing for key protection. Intermediate certificates extend the chain of trust down to leaf certificates deployed on websites. Russian banks have turned to certificates issued under the MinTsifry root after Western and Chinese CAs refused service due to sanctions. The piece highlights that any nation-state with access to a root private key, whether FSB, NSA, or others, could theoretically issue fraudulent certificates for any domain. It notes the limitations of the X.509 standard, which lacks native support for multi-CA signatures, and suggests that separate browsing environments or PGP-style web-of-trust models could mitigate risks. The author concludes that security is already reduced by reliance on any state-controlled CA and that the choice is ultimately which intelligence agency one prefers to trust.
MAX Messenger to Open Source Code and Launch Developer Program for Alternative Clients
The Russian messenger MAX is preparing to open its platform to third-party developers by launching a dedicated developer program and providing API access. Approved participants will receive the official client's source code, design system, technical documentation, and access tokens to integrate with the platform infrastructure. The initiative targets IT companies from Russia and friendly countries that demonstrate experience with large-scale projects and adherence to strict security standards. All selected developers must implement secure development practices, robust encryption mechanisms, and undergo code audits to protect user data. The program supplies ready-made user registration and anti-fraud tools, while alternative clients remain bound by API usage terms focused on security compliance. Applications will be accepted via the official developer portal, although exact launch dates have not yet been disclosed.
InfoWatch Details ARMA Wall NGFW Development for Industrial Systems Under Russian Import Substitution Rules
InfoWatch has published the second part of its interview series describing the ongoing development of the ARMA Wall next-generation firewall for industrial control systems. The product prioritizes on-premise processing without cloud agents to meet strict customer security policies and certification requirements. Engineers combine proprietary detection feeds with external sources, including indicators from NKCKI, while maintaining hundreds of thousands of signatures without disabling legacy rules for older Siemens controllers. Migration support relies on manual pre-project audits rather than automated tools, and the company works closely with domestic SCADA vendors to embed NGFW capabilities inside long-lifecycle OT environments. ARMA Wall is positioned as a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to data diodes because it allows granular command-level filtering and can emulate one-way traffic when required. The solution is already deployed at Roscosmos subsidiary RKK Energia after full certification and categorization.
WhatsApp Developing AI Content Labeling Feature for Channel Admins to Meet EU Transparency Rules
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is rolling out a new function that allows channel administrators to mark posts containing AI-generated or AI-edited media. The feature appears in the latest Android beta and stems directly from European Union requirements for transparency around artificial intelligence content. Administrators can long-press a message after publication and select an option to add an AI content label, which then displays a visible tag informing subscribers that the material was created or modified by neural network tools. The requirement applies specifically to images, videos, and other media files, while generated text remains exempt from mandatory labeling. WABetaInfo researchers spotted the change, noting that the label may become permanent once applied and that the rollout could initially target only jurisdictions with relevant legislation. Broader availability for iOS users and global deployment remain under consideration.