[72634] New wave of VPN and proxy service blocks in Russia

New wave of VPN and proxy service blocks in Russia

In recent days, users across Russia have been reporting widespread disruptions and complete outages of VPN and proxy (MTProto) services on the Telegram app. According to a report by the website «Код Дурова», backed by reports from numerous sources such as Раньше всех. Ну почти. and Varlamov News, it appears that the Russian regulator (Roskomnadzor) has found new vulnerabilities in the encryption and identification mechanisms of anti-censorship services.

Experts estimate that law enforcement authorities in Russia have begun testing new blocking methods, with disruptions being felt with particular intensity in Moscow and Siberia. According to the technology channel «Техночат», the use of digital signatures (fingerprints) and communication protocols such as TCP-RAW is becoming a central target for the regulator, leading to meticulous traffic filtering on the network.

Simultaneously with the tightening of the blocks, the Russian Ministry of Digital Development has expanded the list of data that telecommunications companies are required to collect and transfer to security agencies (SORM agencies). According to «Медиазона» and The Insider, the list now includes sensitive data such as: passport details, exact home addresses, tax identification numbers (INN), bank account details, IP addresses, and location data (geodata).

Industry figures, including Саркис Дарбинян from 'Roskomsvoboda', note that this is a mechanism designed to enable "real-time de-anonymization." While authorities claim this is a necessary measure for "ensuring public safety and combating fraud," reports point to a sharp increase in the cost burden for small internet service providers, who are required to upgrade their equipment to meet the new requirements.

In the shadow of the tensions, there is a downward trend in viewing data on the Russian Telegram network. According to «Агентство. Новости», total post views have decreased by approximately 47% compared to the period before the phased blocks. Conversely, figures such as Анатолий Шарий argue that the regulator's current technology is incapable of blocking advanced services without "the collapse of the entire national infrastructure," and that users are switching to more sophisticated VPN services as a workaround.