Russia imposes new security rules for 5G phones / Traffic will be encrypted, and the integrity of connections will be verified

Russia is preparing to require 5G phone manufacturers to integrate the Kuznechik encryption algorithm, developed with the participation of the FSB. The measure is set out in a draft order from the Ministry of Digital Development and is expected to enter into force on March 1, 2032. This is not an ordinary application, but a technology that must be built directly into the smartphone’s modem.

Kuznechik will be used in 5G networks to encrypt traffic and verify the integrity of communications. National encryption will be activated only when both the phone and the base station support the algorithm. Incompatible foreign devices will be able to continue operating on 5G networks until 2032.

Implementation is difficult because the algorithm is not part of the international 3GPP standard and cannot be added through a simple software update or by changing the SIM card. Phones will need compatible modems, and the process could not effectively begin before 2030.

Russian infrastructure is only partially ready. Base stations produced in Russia support Kuznechik at the software level, but the hardware equipment must be upgraded, a process estimated to take another one to two years. The measure follows the expansion of the Max application and comes amid repeated problems with mobile internet in Russia.