How to protect sensitive data in the era of globally connected computers? Russia has a simple, yet very effective solution: going back to typewriters.
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Russia's Federal Guard Service (FSO), which is in charge of safeguarding Kremlin communications and protecting President Vladimir Putin, claimed that the return to typewriters has been prompted by the publication of secret documents by WikiLeaks, the whistle-blowing website, as well as Edward Snowden, the fugitive US intelligence contractor.
The FSO is looking to spend 486,000 roubles on a number of electric typewriters, according to the site of state procurement agency, zakupki.gov.ru. The notice included ribbons for German-made Triumph Adlew TWEN 180 typewriters, although it was not clear if the typewriters themselves were this kind.
An FSO source told Izvestiya newspaper: "After scandals with the distribution of secret documents by WikiLeaks, the exposes by Edward Snowden, reports about Dmitry Medvedev being listened in on during his visit to the G20 summit in London, it has been decided to expand the practice of creating paper documents."
Every typewriter has its own individual pattern of type so it is possible to link every document to a machine used to type it.
"Typewriters are still used to type on paper with an adhesive layer so that the glue doesn't get too hot. What's more, a whole series of documents are not created on electronic devices. That practice exists in the defence ministry, the emergencies ministry and the special services," the source said.
Directives to the defence minister and the supreme commander-in-chief, Mr. Putin, are still printed on paper, a defency ministry source said.
Nikolai Kovalev, the former director of Russia's Federal Security Service, told Izvestiya: "From the point of view of security, any means of electronic communication is vulnerable. You can remove any information from a computer. There are means of defence, of course, but there's no 100 per cent guarantee they will work. So from the point of view of preserving secrets the most primitive methods are preferable: a person's hand and a pen, or a typewriter." ■