Roskomnadzor Requests Data on VPN Usage from Government Agencies: Is a Ban Coming?
Roskomnadzor has once again sent requests to unnamed government agencies, asking for information about their use of several VPN services. According to the agency, this is part of a planned move to introduce centralized management over tools that bypass restrictions on information prohibited by law.
The request specifically concerns six VPN services: Betternet, Lantern, X-VPN, Cloudflare WARP, Tachyon VPN, and PrivateTunnel. Roskomnadzor has asked agencies using these programs to notify the Center for Monitoring and Management of the Public Communications Network (CMU SSOP) to ensure the continued operation of technological processes within enterprises and organizations.
Back in May, the regulator also reported sending similar requests to certain agencies regarding the use of VyprVPN and Opera VPN. In June, these services were blocked. In September, Roskomnadzor restricted access to Hola!VPN, ExpressVPN, KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, NordVPN, Speedify VPN, and IPVanish VPN, citing violations of Russian law. The agency claimed these services enabled access to prohibited information and resources, including those related to drug distribution, child pornography, extremism, and incitement to suicide.
Roskomnadzor had previously demanded that popular VPN services (NordVPN, VyprVPN, ExpressVPN) join the Federal State Information System (FGIS) back in 2019. This requirement was unacceptable to the VPN providers, and all except Kaspersky Secure Connection refused, with some even shutting down their servers in Russia.
In 2021, Russian authorities gained the ability to begin test blocking VPN services by implementing a system of technical means to counter threats (TSPU). This software, installed on operators’ networks but controlled by Roskomnadzor, allows for deep packet inspection (DPI) and traffic blocking.
As a reminder, secure and trusted VPNs that help ensure privacy and restore access to censored information online can be found at vpnlove.me.