14 DAY TRIAL // The Russian government has submitted a bill to parliament that gives the country’s Federal Security Service (FSB) the role of dealing with cyber threats.
According to RT, the FSB will set up a unified National Center for Computer Incidents. The new center will be tasked with overseeing the IT security of the national electric grid, national defense and law enforcement systems.
Up until now, a special directorate under the Interior Ministry has been responsible for investigating cybercrimes. However, the government believes the FSB is more capable of handling not only international criminal networks, but also operations launched by foreign governments.
The new bill also empowers law enforcement agencies to investigate suspected threats to the security of national information. So far, action was only taken in case of threats to the state, economic, military, or environmental security.
Earlier this year, the FSB has drafted a law that toughens punishments for criminals who threaten the national information infrastructure by hacking into computer systems.