Over the past 48 hours, connectivity has been in the spotlight. The Ministry of Digital Development is negotiating with Apple to enable 5G on Russians' iPhones. The head of the ministry, Maksut Shadaev, said this. The first fifth-generation networks were launched last week in 16 cities. While Android owners already use 5G, iPhone users have to wait for Apple to update carrier profiles. The talks began after the company was repeatedly fined millions, and in April the ministry banned paying for Apple services from mobile phones. For XConnect users, this matters because Apple's and the regulator's stance will determine whether and how quickly 5G appears on iPhones in Russia.
Another topic is satellite internet. Russia still has vast territories without stable internet access, and mobile connectivity is not available everywhere. The only way out for businesses and people in such situations is a satellite connection. Currently, only geostationary satellites are used for internet access in Russia. Low-orbit constellations, which provide lower signal latency, are not yet available to Russian users, but developments are underway, for example by Bureau 1440 (the Rassvet project). For XConnect users, this means that in remote regions satellite remains the main way to connect, and the development of low-orbit systems could change the situation in the future.
There were also major attacks and leaks in the 48 hours. Hackers crippled the infrastructure of the International Meteor Organization (IMO). The attack dealt a "critical blow" to its outdated infrastructure: databases and most of the website were disabled, and recovery will take several weeks. No ransom demands were made. In another case, the anonymous group CikLeak claimed to have hacked the infrastructure of Russia's Central Election Commission. It claims to have downloaded secret documents, internal developer chats, server configurations and passwords. Screenshots published on the hackers' website include data of territorial election commission members, such as full names, email addresses, passport data and mobile phone numbers. According to CikLeak, contractors of the CEC — Rostelecom, Tsifrotech and other companies involved in developing the GAS Vybory 2.0 system — were also hacked. Some media outlets have confirmed the authenticity of the archive. For XConnect users, this is a reminder that data leaks and infrastructure attacks remain a serious threat, and Cheburnet and access restrictions can complicate information protection.
Overall, the period showed that connectivity, Cheburnet and security issues remain interconnected. There is still little data on some topics, so we will continue to monitor developments.