--- title: Russia Envisions a More Closed Internet description: Russian bill No. 571793-6, also called the Digital Economy National Program, or ДНП for short, would increase the government’s ability to flick the switch. image: https://reflare.com/hubfs/Blog%20image%20in%20post/Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet.png --- [![Reflare home](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/reflare%20logo.png?width=421&height=150&name=reflare%20logo.png "Reflare home")](https://reflare.com) [![logo](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/logo.png?width=262&height=82&name=logo.png "logo")](https://reflare.com/act3) [![reflare logo](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/reflare%20logo.png?width=168&height=60&name=reflare%20logo.png "reflare logo")](https://reflare.com/act3) - [Galena](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena Overview](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena for Tech Teams](https://reflare.com/technical-teams) - [Galena for L&D Teams](https://reflare.com/learning-development) - [Galena Security and Deployment](https://reflare.com/security-deployment) - Training - [Capture the Flag](https://reflare.com/rctf-reflare-capture-the-flag) - [Developers](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - [Administrators](https://reflare.com/rcsa) - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - Audit - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/pcidss) - [PCI 3DS](https://reflare.com/pci3ds) - [PCI PIN](https://reflare.com/pcipin) - [PCI DSS ASV](https://reflare.com/pcidssasv) - [Penetration Testing](https://reflare.com/penetration) - [Vulnerability Scanning](https://reflare.com/vulnerability) - [Advisory and Management](https://reflare.com/advisory) - [Research](https://reflare.com/research) - [Anatomy of a Breach](https://reflare.com/research/tag/anatomy-of-a-breach) - [High Tech](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) - [Infosec Culture](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) - [Infrastructure](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infrastructure) - [Normal People and Infosec](https://reflare.com/research/tag/normal-people-and-infosec) - [WTFWIB](https://whythefuckwasibreached.com/) - [About](https://reflare.com/about) - [Contact](https://reflare.com/contact) - [Company](https://reflare.com/about) - [Careers](https://reflare.com/careers) - [Service Status](https://statuspage.reflare.com/) - [日本語](https://jp.reflare.com/) [Login](https://reflare.com/login) [Buy Now](https://www.hubspot.com/) [Login](https://www.hubspot.com/)Login to your Reflare account - [Galena](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena Overview](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena for Tech Teams](https://reflare.com/technical-teams) - [Galena for L&D Teams](https://reflare.com/learning-development) - [Galena Security and Deployment](https://reflare.com/security-deployment) - Training - [Capture the Flag](https://reflare.com/rctf-reflare-capture-the-flag) - [Developers](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - [Administrators](https://reflare.com/rcsa) - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - Audit - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/pcidss) - [PCI 3DS](https://reflare.com/pci3ds) - [PCI PIN](https://reflare.com/pcipin) - [PCI DSS ASV](https://reflare.com/pcidssasv) - [Penetration Testing](https://reflare.com/penetration) - [Vulnerability Scanning](https://reflare.com/vulnerability) - [Advisory and Management](https://reflare.com/advisory) - [Research](https://reflare.com/research) - [Anatomy of a Breach](https://reflare.com/research/tag/anatomy-of-a-breach) - [High Tech](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) - [Infosec Culture](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) - [Infrastructure](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infrastructure) - [Normal People and Infosec](https://reflare.com/research/tag/normal-people-and-infosec) - [WTFWIB](https://whythefuckwasibreached.com/) - [About](https://reflare.com/about) - [Contact](https://reflare.com/contact) - [Company](https://reflare.com/about) - [Careers](https://reflare.com/careers) - [Service Status](https://statuspage.reflare.com/) - [日本語](https://jp.reflare.com/) [Buy Now](https://www.hubspot.com/) Research #### Share this [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet&text=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet) [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet&t=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet&t=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet) # Russia Envisions a More Closed Internet by [**Reflare Research Team**](https://reflare.com/research/author/reflare-research-team) on Feb 18, 2019 5:08:00 PM Russian bill No. 571793-6, which is also called Доктрина демократического развития интернета (the Digital Economy National Program), or “ДНП” for short would increase the government’s ability "flick the switch." First Published 18th February 2019  ![Russia Envisions a More Closed Internet](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20image%20in%20post/Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet.png?width=672&height=448&name=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet.png) *The frameworks for geographically-based, isolated internets continue to gain momentum.* 4 min read  |  Reflare Research Team On February 12th, Russian lawmakers passed the first draft of a law named the Digital Economy National Program. This law would significantly increase the Russian government’s ability to disconnect the country from the global internet. Tests of such activities may take place in the near future. In this briefing, we will take a look at the contents of the law, the challenges of disconnecting from the internet and what effects a successful law and test would have. ## What’s in the law? According to [reporting provided by UPI](https://www.upi.com/Russia-passes-first-draft-of-bill-to-unplug-from-global-Internet/5011549992905/) which in turns draws on reporting done by the [Moscow Times](https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-moves-grant-government-power-shut-down-internet-explained-64470) the law contains three main technical directives. Let’s have a look at them one by one. ## 1) The creation of a local domain name system (DNS) While only scratching the surface of its complexity, the domain name system translates human-readable domain names (e.g. google.com) into machine-readable IP addresses (e.g. 172.217.161.238). The system is global and distributed - meaning that it likely would cease to function within Russia if the country were to disconnect from the internet. This in turn would mean that it might be difficult or impossible for Russian users to connect to Russian services, even though both are technically still on the same network. It is likely that the “development of an alternative system” will ultimately mean the implementation of very aggressive caching policies. ## 2) Centralize the control over national internet traffic This is more of a policy issue than it sounds. While technically Internet Service Providers (ISPs) handle the routing of their own traffic, their number is limited. Subsequently, any government can impose demands on ISPs (even those willing to go against a law) quite easily through regulatory or policy measures. ## 3) Implementation of tools to identify the source of internet traffic and limit access to banned websites The exact intentions of this measure are unclear. Anything from basic content filters implemented on a per-IP basis to deep packet inspection monitoring the actual contents of user traffic to mandatory malware installed on all computers in the country are potential options to satisfy this clause. Time will tell which one (if any) is accurate. The goal however is straight-forward: With limited access to information and lack of anonymity, dissidents can easily be suppressed. ## What are the challenges of disconnecting and why would Russia want to try it? When disconnecting a country from the internet, the change is not immediately apparent to currently running software. This can lead to timeouts and application crashes. Some practical examples are: 1) End-users using Google’s DNS server (8.8.8.8) to circumvent censorship become unable to connect to any website. 2) Webservices trying to load resources from servers outside of Russia will crash or stall. 3) Operating systems trying to update or install additional software may be unable to do so. Along with many other potential issues, the outcome of disconnection is so unforeseeable that even the Russian government cannot be sure what will happen. The best case scenario is a test resulting in no more than some inconvenience for individual users. The worst-case scenario includes the malfunctioning of the state’s utility grid and industry. Both extreme cases are unlikely but without an actual test, it is virtually impossible to tell where between them the real consequences will fall. ## Summary Disconnecting a country from the internet can have severe and far-reaching consequences even if the move is well prepared. These consequences are hard to predict. By temporarily disconnecting from the internet, the Russian government will gain insight into exactly what consequences to expect in case of a longer-term disconnection. If these consequences are mild, it gains a powerful tool to censor the internet, control public opinion, and quell popular uprisings like the Arab Spring. Topics: [High Tech](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) #### Share this [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet&text=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet) [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet&t=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet&t=Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet) - Recent - Topics - Archive Recent Topics - [Infosec Culture (113)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) - [Anatomy of a Breach (60)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/anatomy-of-a-breach) - [Normal People and Infosec (42)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/normal-people-and-infosec) - [High Tech (31)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) - [Infrastructure (21)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infrastructure) - [Capture the Flag (8)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/capture-the-flag) See all Archive - [June 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/06) - [May 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/05) - [April 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/04) - [March 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/03) - [February 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/02) - [January 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/01) - [December 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/12) - [November 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/11) - [October 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/10) - [September 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/09) - [August 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/08) - [July 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/07) - [June 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/06) - [May 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/05) - [April 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/04) - [March 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/03) - [February 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/02) - [January 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/01) - [December 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/12) - [November 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/11) - [October 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/10) - [September 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/09) - [August 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/08) - [July 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/07) - [June 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/06) - [April 2024 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/04) - [February 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/02) - [January 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/01) - [December 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/12) - [November 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/11) - [October 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/10) - [September 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/09) - [August 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/08) - [July 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/07) - [June 2023 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/06) - [May 2023 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/05) - [April 2023 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/04) - [March 2023 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/03) - [February 2023 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/02) - [January 2023 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/01) - [December 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/12) - [November 2022 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/11) - [October 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/10) - [September 2022 (11)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/09) - [August 2022 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/08) - [July 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/07) - [May 2022 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/05) - [April 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/04) - [February 2022 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/02) - [January 2022 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/01) - [December 2021 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/12) - [November 2021 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/11) - [October 2021 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/10) - [September 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/09) - [August 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/08) - [June 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/06) - [May 2021 (14)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/05) - [February 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/02) - [October 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/10) - [September 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/09) - [July 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/07) - [June 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/06) - [May 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/05) - [April 2020 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/04) - [March 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/03) - [February 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/02) - [January 2020 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/01) - [December 2019 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/12) - [November 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/11) - [October 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/10) - [September 2019 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/09) - [August 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/08) - [July 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/07) - [June 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/06) - [May 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/05) - [April 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/04) - [March 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/03) - [February 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/02) - [January 2019 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/01) - [December 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/12) - [November 2018 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/11) - [October 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/10) - [September 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/09) - [August 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/08) - [July 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/07) - [June 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/06) - [May 2018 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/05) - [April 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/04) - [March 2018 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/03) - [February 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/02) - [January 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/01) - [December 2017 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/12) - [November 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/11) - [October 2017 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/10) - [September 2017 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/09) - [August 2017 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/08) - [July 2017 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/07) - [June 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/06) - [May 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/05) - [April 2017 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/04) - [March 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/03) - [February 2017 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/02) - [January 2017 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/01) - [December 2016 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/12) - [November 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/11) - [October 2016 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/10) - [September 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/09) - [August 2016 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/08) - [July 2016 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/07) - [June 2016 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/06) - [May 2016 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/05) - [April 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/04) - [March 2016 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/03) - [February 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/02) See all ### Subscribe by email #### About Reflare We help customers increase cyber resilience with the #1 hands-on IT security training platform. Our developer, administrator, and non-technical user training programs enhance user skills, fulfil your compliance needs, and contribute to developing more secure technologies. Legal - [Terms of Service](https://reflare.com/terms) - [Privacy Statement](https://reflare.com/privacy) - [Cookie Info](https://reflare.com/cookies) - [Copyright and Citation Enquiries](https://reflare.com/citation) - [Contact](https://reflare.com/contact) © 2026 Reflare Ltd, and/or its affiliates.   /   In business since 2009. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Reflare Research Team", "url" : "https://reflare.com/research/author/reflare-research-team" }, "dateModified" : "2023-11-21T12:58:47.869Z", "datePublished" : "2019-02-18T17:08:00.000Z", "headline" : "Russia Envisions a More Closed Internet", "image" : [ "https://reflare.com/hubfs/Blog%20image%20in%20post/Russia%20Envisions%20a%20More%20Closed%20Internet.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://reflare.com/research/russia-envisions-a-more-closed-internet", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://reflare.com/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/logo.png" }, "name" : "Reflare" } } ```