Russia is going Back to the Future by taking an old-timey approach to securing top secret communications at the country’s seat of government power, eschewing technology and computers and turning to the typewriter.
A source at the Federal Guard Service – the group that oversees Kremlin communications with an eye at protecting President Vladimir Putin – said recent notable security-related compromises have given rise to the typewriter idea, the Telegraph reported.
FSO officials are planning to spend thousands of dollars to buy electronic typewriters, the government’s procurement agency reported.
“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,” the unnamed source said, as reported by the Telegraph.
Typewriters have individual patterns of type. That means each document produced on a typewriter can be linked back to the typewriter – and eventually, typist – that produced it.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.