Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly ordered critical infrastructure operators to stop using Western software, which is alleged to represent a national security risk, by 2025.
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The Register reports that Putin signed Decree No. 166 (PDF), titled "On measures to ensure the technological independence and security of the critical information infrastructure of the Russian Federation," on March 30. The order went into effect the next day.
"From now on," says The Register, "organizations must seek approval before they can purchase software abroad for this level of infrastructure. Putin also banned public agencies and other customers from using foreign software from January 1, 2025."
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The order follows several Western technology companies — including Microsoft — that have halted sales to Russia in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Even software that remains available could pose a problem, given calls for companies to stop providing security updates to Russia.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also sparked the rise of "protestware" in open source projects that seek to disrupt Russian businesses.
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The Register reports that Decree No. 166 “requires the Russian government to form a group focused on the development, production and maintenance of reliable software and hardware for critical infrastructure projects. It appears to give the government six months to adopt measures: that promote the use of domestic radio and telecommunications equipment for critical infrastructure sites and that establish a monitoring and control regime, in addition to ensuring the availability of trained personnel to manage the planned reliable technology.”
Information source: pcmag.com
