Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Russia Admits To Blocking Millions of IP Addresses (sfgate.com)

Posted by msmash on from the internet-is-hard dept.

It turns out, the Russian government, in its quest to block Telegram, accidentally shut down several other services as well. From a report: The chief of the Russian communications watchdog acknowledged Wednesday that millions of unrelated IP addresses have been frozen in a so-far futile attempt to block a popular messaging app. Telegram, the messaging app that was ordered to be blocked last week, was still available to users in Russia despite authorities' frantic attempts to hit it by blocking other services. The row erupted after Telegram, which was developed by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, refused to hand its encryption keys to the intelligence agencies. The Russian government insists it needs them to pre-empt extremist attacks but Telegram dismissed the request as a breach of privacy. Alexander Zharov, chief of the Federal Communications Agency, said in an interview with the Izvestia daily published Wednesday that Russia is blocking 18 networks that are used by Amazon and Google and which host sites that they believe Telegram is using to circumvent the ban.

6 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Long live ayatolla Vlad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    In post soviet Russia Telegram stops internet

  2. Awesome, I hope they block more. by I'm+just+joshin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The timing correlates with a drop in attacks on our servers.

    Block away Vlad, block away.

    1. Re:Awesome, I hope they block more. by Narcocide · · Score: 2

      I admit that I had already blocked millions of their IP addresses.

  3. they di by turbiina · · Score: 2

    few montht ago when ukraine blocked some most outrageous russian propaganda sites , russian mass media was telling people that such blocking is âoenot democraticâ and pointless. At the same time they shown on state TV how to circumvent blocking with a use of vpn. :D Well , russian government is so russian, they are doing a job of ruining their country very well..

  4. Encryption by GrBear · · Score: 2

    I'd be more impressed if Telegram encrypted ALL communications, not as just a user selectable option for mobile users. Hell, it's not even on by default.

    I only use the desktop client, and there's no option to turn on encryption.

  5. The open and egalitarian Internet dream is dead by bettodavis · · Score: 2

    The sad truth is that if the USA blocked most non official/commercial Russian and Chinese IP addresses, we would see a big drop on piracy, hacking and political trolling/manipulation.

    And why not? they are already doing it with anyone they don't like.

    Symmetric communication and open exchange between nations will probably come to be seen as an earned privilege. Those that systematically and officially abuse it should have that privilege removed.