Install This App Instead of Telegram... Controversy Surrounds Alleged Russian Surveillance

Claims have emerged that Russia has been monitoring its citizens by inducing them to install applications that can act as a form of "backdoor" on their mobile phones.

The British daily The Guardian reported that Russians have been pressured to install an app called "Max" on their smartphones over the past 18 months.

According to The Guardian, tens of millions of people, including state agencies, public officials, and public sector workers, as well as university students, teachers, and elementary school students, have faced all-around pressure to install the Max app.

Max is a so-called "super app" that combines a messenger, government services, and payment functions.

As Russian authorities heavily promoted it as a replacement for Telegram and WhatsApp, it emerged as the most widely used messenger in Russia starting this summer.

Max is an app created by VKontakte, a social media company with close ties to the Russian government, and The Guardian reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also known to indirectly hold a stake in the app.

According to an analysis by a research team led by Professor Roya Ensafi at the University of Michigan, the various features installed in this app correspond to a type of backdoor.

A backdoor refers to a hidden bypass created to allow entry into a system without going through normal authentication and access procedures.

According to The Guardian, when researchers downloaded and analyzed the version of the app actually used in Russia, they confirmed that Max can capture mobile phone screens without user consent.

In addition, unauthorized access was possible to information, messages, and payment histories stored in the app, and it could impersonate users without their knowledge.

In particular, code could also be inserted, and the research team pointed out that this suggests the Russian government could utilize it to launch cyberattacks.

Professor Ensafi said, "I have been studying the trend of Russia tightening internet controls over the past decade," adding, "What Max provides is one of the most sophisticated and terrifying tactics an authoritarian government can use to monitor its own citizens."

She added that other countries, such as Iran, Kazakhstan, and India, are likely to attempt similar methods.

However, concerns that Max may be utilized for surveillance are reportedly widespread even within Russia.

According to The Guardian, the Russian elite still prefer Telegram or Signal over Max for everyday communication.

Some government officials have even prepared separate mobile phones just to install Max.

A consultant living in Moscow said, "When using Max, I get the feeling that someone might be watching again."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.