Once again, Russia proves that old school is, how you say, the best school

[CountDeMoney]

Kremlin security agency to buy typewriters 'to avoid leaks'

Russia's agency responsible for the Kremlin security is buying typewriters - a move reportedly prompted by recent leaks by WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden.

A 486,540-rouble (£9,860) order for electric typewriters has been placed by the FSO agency on the state procurement website.

The FSO has not commented on why it needs the old-fashioned devices.

But an agency source told Russia's Izvestiya newspaper the aim was to prevent leaks from computer hardware.

"After scandals with the distribution of secret documents by WikiLeaks, the exposes by Edward Snowden, reports about Dmitry Medvedev being bugged during his visit to the G20 London summit (in 2009), it has been decided to expand the practice of creating paper documents," the source said.

The source added that typewriters were already being used at Russia's defence and emergencies ministries for drafts and secret notes, and some reports had been prepared for President Vladimir Putin by typewriter.

Unlike printers, every typewriter had its own individual typing pattern which made it possible to link every document to a particular machine, Izvestiya said.

Mr Snowden, a former CIA contractor, has recently leaked thousands of classified US intelligence documents.

He is currently on the run from the US authorities, and is believed to be at Moscow's airport.

WikiLeaks grabbed world headlines in 2010 by releasing hundreds of thousands of US state department diplomatic cables, including secret files relating to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[11B4V]

In the US that would be a "Change in working conditions". Fucking unions.

[Neil]

That doesn't make any sense.  Wouldn't it be easier and more worker-friendly to just pre-emptively execute every journalist in the country?

[Ed Anger]

The chair force would wonder how to send email through them.

[CountDeMoney]

  Typewriters?  Too much labor involved!

[CountDeMoney]

The chair force would wonder how to send email through them.

"That's one heavy interdepartmental mail envelope, Airman."

[mongers]

I was always impressed by their reaction to the hostage crises in the Lebanon. Kidnap close family members of those who took the Soviet diplomats, cut off one pair of testicles, 'mail' it to the kidnappers representatives, cue quick release of surviving hostages. 

[mongers]

That doesn't make any sense.  Wouldn't it be easier and more worker-friendly to just pre-emptively execute every journalist in the country?

I think Putin's mates are already working on that 5 year plan.

[Grey Fox]

I was always impressed by their reaction to the hostage crises in the Lebanon. Kidnap close family members of those who took the Soviet diplomats, cut off one pair of testicles, 'mail' it to the kidnappers representatives, cue quick release of surviving hostages.

I want to know more. Got a link or something I can google?

[CountDeMoney]

I was always impressed by their reaction to the hostage crises in the Lebanon. Kidnap close family members of those who took the Soviet diplomats, cut off one pair of testicles, 'mail' it to the kidnappers representatives, cue quick release of surviving hostages.

I want to know more. Got a link or something I can google?

Google "KGB Alpha Group".

[mongers]

I was always impressed by their reaction to the hostage crises in the Lebanon. Kidnap close family members of those who took the Soviet diplomats, cut off one pair of testicles, 'mail' it to the kidnappers representatives, cue quick release of surviving hostages.

I want to know more. Got a link or something I can google?

It's pre-internet, so I'd guess there won't be too much out there.

[Tonitrus]

I was always impressed by their reaction to the hostage crises in the Lebanon. Kidnap close family members of those who took the Soviet diplomats, cut off one pair of testicles, 'mail' it to the kidnappers representatives, cue quick release of surviving hostages.

I want to know more. Got a link or something I can google?

Google "KGB Alpha Group".

[CountDeMoney]

It's pre-internet, so I'd guess there won't be too much out there.

The history of the KGB, Sword And The Shield, is an excellent comprehensive work in one volume.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sword-Shield-Mitrokhin-Archive/dp/0465003125

[MadImmortalMan]

Uh paper is an unsafe medium too. Anybody who gets in physical contact with it can read it. Or stick it in a scanner and email it somewhere.

[CountDeMoney]

Uh paper is an unsafe medium too. Anybody who gets in physical contact with it can read it. Or stick it in a scanner and email it somewhere.

Yes, but incorporating and maintaining physical security integrity controls is substantially more effective than floating shit out on teh intrawebs.  And scanners and emails can be easily avoided as well. 

The threat to the paper trail is reduced primarily to the human element, which can be dealt with in a more narrow scope than the myriad--NAH, PLETHORA--of IT system and architecture weaknesses.