Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 4 hrs ago
Russia explores AI tools to strengthen VPN blocking
Russia is exploring AI to block VPN services as part of its efforts to restrict tools that help people bypass online censorship.
A draft national AI plan proposed analyzing 70% of blocked VPN services and raising overall blocking effectiveness to 95%, but the Digital Development Ministry says that measure is not in the current plan.
Roskomnadzor is still pursuing a separate machine-learning filtering project.
The system could examine connection details such as packet sizes and timing, affecting corporate VPNs, cloud services and voice traffic.
A 95% blocking target could still cause false positives, meaning permitted internet traffic might be blocked too.
Authorities have already struggled to distinguish corporate traffic from unauthorized VPN use, causing disruptions to banking services.
Funding for blocking infrastructure is set to double, as Russia continues to expand its censorship efforts and users face fewer reliable options for private internet access.
Russia has explored using artificial intelligence to improve its ability to block virtual private network services.
A draft national AI plan proposed using AI to analyze 70% of blocked VPN services and aimed for 95% blocking effectiveness.
The Digital Development Ministry said the specific measure is absent from the current plan, while Roskomnadzor is pursuing a separate machine-learning filtering project.
Experts warn that the system could mistakenly disrupt corporate VPNs, cloud services and voice traffic.
- Who
- The Russian government and Roskomnadzor.
- What
- Authorities are exploring AI and machine learning to strengthen VPN blocking.
- When
- Not stated.
- Where
- Russia.
- Why
- To increase blocking effectiveness and strengthen censorship capabilities.
Russian authorities
Experts
Purpose
Russian authorities
Authorities are pursuing ways to increase VPN blocking effectiveness.
Experts
Experts warn that the proposed approach could cause false positives.
Potential impact
Russian authorities
Authorities are pursuing a separate machine-learning filtering project.
Experts
The system could affect corporate VPNs, cloud services and voice traffic.
A draft of the national AI plan proposed using AI to analyze 70% of blocked VPN services and aimed to raise blocking effectiveness to 95%.
The Digital Development Ministry said the specific measure was absent from the current plan.
Roskomnadzor continued to pursue a separate machine-learning filtering project.
- Draft analysis target
- 70% of blocked VPN services
- Draft blocking goal
- 95% effectiveness
- Responsible agency
- Roskomnadzor
- Funding
- Blocking infrastructure funding is set to double