On July 27, 2005 OJSC North-West Telecom completed the setting up of a new security system for subscriber information contained in the databases of the information/billing system of the Petersburg Telephone Network subsidiary.

The started-up system ensures safe protection against unauthorized access to information on subscribers and telephone connections data. Russian crypto protection facilities are used for data security, and operators’ workstations are outfitted with an unauthorized access protection system developed by Spektr-2000, a division of FGUP NII Vector. Any requests for information on subscribers are now recorded and controlled by a special security system server.

The start-up of the new security system has enabled NWT, one of Russia’s first communication operators, to successfully pass the qualification tests of the PTN subsidiary’s information/billing system for compliance with the “1?” security class, and to obtain a certificate of compliance offering governmental guarantees of the efficiency of its actions to protect the subscriber information.

According to the regulatory documents of the Federal Engineering and Exports Control Service (Gostekhkomissiya of Russia), the qualification of automated systems intended for confidential information handling shall be to either “1?” or “1?”; the applicants shall meet the requirements for access interfacing and control, accounting of magnetic media, data integrity, etc. 

North-West Telecom has always given closest attention to information security as a most important competitive advantage, and is willing to continue its strict compliance with the Federal Law on Communications and with recommendations of the Federal Engineering and Exports Control Service (Gostekhkomissiya of Russia) regarding protection of confidential information on citizens. Currently, a program for OJSC NWT billing conversion is being implemented, intended to unify data presentation in the subsidiaries. When it is completed, the information/billing system’s security will be subject to uniform requirements in all the subsidiaries.

SFCPS Spektr, a scientific division of FGUP NII Vector, has been operating since February 19, 1996 for the purpose of better utilization of the scientific and engineering potential of defense industries in research and engineering related to information security. Its core lines of activity are generation of information security tools, design and implementation of data security subsystems in automated complexes and LANs, development of high-speed encryption methods, data security engineering services, attestation of computerized facilities to data security requirements, and certification tests in the certification systems of Gostekhkomissiya of Russia and the Ministry of Defense. (www.cobra.ru)