Russia Considers Creating a Dedicated Government Cybersecurity Agency

Russian authorities are discussing the creation of a separate government body focused exclusively on cybersecurity issues. According to a market source, this idea is currently being actively discussed with industry representatives.

The need for such an agency and the necessity for these changes have been topics of discussion among experts for some time, said Igor Lyapunov, CEO of Solar Group. In early June 2024, Sberbank CEO Herman Gref also addressed this issue in the Federation Council, stating: “We need a federal cybersecurity agency that would focus solely on this area. Highly qualified professionals should be responsible for developing the country’s cybersecurity strategy.”

Gref emphasized the importance of protecting all elements of the cyber infrastructure, as a single weak link can jeopardize the entire system.

Lyapunov noted that currently, several organizations are involved in regulating the information security sector, such as the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEC), the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Ministry of Digital Development, and the Central Bank. However, “with this kind of structure, there is a border effect, where some issues fall outside the scope of attention, or, conversely, certain overlaps and misalignments may occur.”

According to Lyapunov, there is a need for an agency that would serve as a single center of responsibility for regulation, response, coordination, and centralization of cyber intelligence functions.