7/12/13

Kremlin returns to typewriters to avoid computer leaks - Telegraph

Kremlinreturnstotypewriterstoavoidcomputerleaks
TheKremlinisreturningtotypewritersinanattempttoavoiddamagingleaksfrom computerhardware,ithasbeenclaimed.

GermanmadeTriumphAdlerTwen180typewriterswerepopularinthelate'80sandearly'90s

ByChrisIrvine,TomParfittinMoscowandagencies
2:19PMBST11Jul2013

AsourceatRussia'sFederalGuardService(FSO),whichisinchargeofsafeguardingKremlin communicationsandprotectingPresidentVladimirPutin,claimedthatthereturntotypewriters hasbeenpromptedbythepublicationofsecretdocumentsbyWikiLeaks,thewhistleblowing website,aswellasEdwardSnowden,thefugitiveUSintelligencecontractor. TheFSOislookingtospend486,000roublesaround10,000onanumberofelectric typewriters,accordingtothesiteofstateprocurementagency,zakupki.gov.ru.Thenotice includedribbonsforGermanmadeTriumphAdlewTWEN180typewriters,althoughitwas notclearifthetypewritersthemselveswerethiskind. Theservicedeclinedtocommentonthenotice,whichwaspostedlastweek. HoweveranFSOsourcetoldIzvestiyanewspaper:Afterscandalswiththedistributionof secretdocumentsbyWikiLeaks,theexposesbyEdwardSnowden,reportsaboutDmitry
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7/12/13

Kremlin returns to typewriters to avoid computer leaks - Telegraph

MedvedevbeinglistenedinonduringhisvisittotheG20summitinLondon,ithasbeen decidedtoexpandthepracticeofcreatingpaperdocuments. Unlikeprinters,everytypewriterhasitsownindividualpatternoftypesoitispossibletolink everydocumenttoamachineusedtotypeit. Typewritersarestillusedtotypeonpaperwithanadhesivelayersothatthegluedoesntget toohot,thesourcesaid.Whatsmore,awholeseriesofdocumentsarenotcreatedon electronicdevices.Thatpracticeexistsinthedefenceministry,theemergenciesministryand thespecialservices. Directivestothedefenceministerandthesupremecommanderinchief,MrPutin,arestill printedonpaper,adefencyministrysourcesaid. DocumentsleakedbyMrSnowdenappearedtoshowthatBritainspiedonforeigndelegates includingDmitryMedvedev,thenthepresident,atthe2009LondonG20meetings. Russiawasoutragedbytherevelationsbutsaidithadthemeanstoprotectitself. MrSnowdenhasbeenstuckinthetransitzoneofSheremetyevoAirportinMoscowforthree weekssincearrivingfromHongKonginabidtoseekasylum. NikolaiKovalev,theformerdirectorofRussiasFederalSecurityService,toldIzvestiya: Fromthepointofviewofsecurity,any meansofelectroniccommunicationisvulnerable.Youcanremoveanyinformationfroma computer.Therearemeansofdefence,ofcourse,buttheresno100percentguaranteethey willwork.Sofromthepointofviewofpreservingsecretsthemostprimitivemethodsare preferable:apersonshandandapen,oratypewriter. However,anotherexpertsaidthatpaperdocumentswerestillunreliablebecausetheycouldbe stolenorphotographed,orcouldgoupinsmokeincaseofafire. EditedbyChrisIrvinefortelegraph.co.uk

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