Russia uses custom Linux
Russia uses a custom Linux operating system in education institutions, its financial sector, state organs, and, most importantly, its military-industrial complex. The shift from modified versions of Windows to the domestic operating system Astra Linux is the result of the necessity for storing and processing highly confidential information.
Among other key factors that have pushed the Russian state to substitute the Microsoft Windows operating system, it’s worth mentioning the West’s adversarial attitude, economic sanctions, the cost of foreign software, and the fear of a lack of technical support in the near future.
On December 17, 2010, Vladimir Putin issued a decree ordering the transition of federal executive bodies to the use of free software. Since then, the Russian administration has made constant efforts to ditch Windows and reduce dependence on imported software.
What is Astra Linux
Astra Linux is a Russian operating system based on Debian available for all types of devices and architectures. It is developed and maintained by Rusbitech, a Russian tech company specializing in the production of technology solutions for the Russian state, mainly for the army.
Astra Linux Special Edition provides three levels of security, while the Community Edition delivers the lowest level of security. The former is implemented in Russian military bodies, while the latter is free for the general public to use. A paid version of the Astra Linux Special Edition is also available.
APT is the package manager of the Astra Linux operating system. It can be used to update the system, install new packages, and remove the old ones directly from the terminal.
Astra Linux is shipped with information security tools out of the box to prevent malicious attempts to infiltrate malware. With the main focus on maximum security, Astra Linux doesn’t allow uncontrolled data transfer to and from the system. This paranoic approach towards data security makes Astra Linux suitable for personal and state information processing.
Russia uses a custom Linux in the education system
In recent years Russia has been accelerating the process of import substitutions in the IT infrastructure of its education system too. Educational institutions are migrating to domestic software to implement the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated March 30, 2022 No. 166 which forbids the usage of foreign software at government bodies and facilities that process critical information.
The University of Saint Petersburg signed an agreement with Astra Group during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Under this collaboration, the parties plan to collaborate on developing artificial intelligence solutions, conducting software development research, and organizing scientific events.
Classrooms at the St Petersburg University will receive new equipment featuring the Astra Linux domestic operating system.
Besides providing licenses for the Astra Linux operating system, Astra Group trains school students and teachers in their training centers. Moreover, it pays scholarships to talented students.
Custom Linux in the Russian aircraft industry
Helicopters Of Russia drafted a proposal request in June 2016 regarding the import substitution of IT products and solutions in its enterprises. Company’s Director of Information Technologies Mikhail Nosov stressed the importance of import substitution in the spheres of Information Technology and Information Security within the Russian defense industry.
This year, the largest Russian civil airline, Aeroflot, signed an agreement for a technological partnership with AstraGroup, to substitute imports in the flying giant’s IT infrastructure. The agreement, Dated June 6, 2024, consists of developing domestic software and IT solutions based on the Astra Linux operating system.
Another serious move to the use of Astra Linux by the Russian aircraft industry is the tender for the development of a new GIS for certification of the standard design of aircraft. Rosaviatsia, the company behind the funding and creation of the project has allocated 216.6 million rubles for the development. Among the technical specifications outlined, the new GIS software should be compatible with the Astra Linux operating system.
Russia uses a custom Linux in its state organs
Back in 2022, the Russian Ministry Of Internal Affairs purchased almost 3000 computers with Astra Linux preinstalled. Trainings on the Astra Linux OS are also offered for the employees of the Russian Ministry Of Internals Affairs.
Astra Linux has successfully replaced Microsoft Windows in many other state entities of the Russian Federation such as the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Roscosmos, and last, but not least the FSB.
Russia uses a custom Linux in the financial sector
Compatibility with the Center for Financial Technologies gives Astra Linux a big advantage in import substitution of the IT infrastructure in credit and bank institutions. Due to the nature of data processed by these financial enterprises, Astra Linux serves as a reliable technology stack in the implementation of their PDIS.
SberBusiness and SberPro online banking systems are confirmed to fully function in the Astra Linux operating system too. Data protection tools already shipped out of the box in Astra Linux guarantee a safe user experience for business clients using SberPro and SberBusiness.
Sber is the Russian successor to the State Labor Savings Banks System of the USSR, currently accounting for about a third of all bank assets in Russia.
Russia uses a custom Linux in the military industry
The Russian industrial military complex needs import substitution mainly in the IT sphere more than any other sector. Dependence on foreign software and Microsoft Windows increases the attack surface which adversary nation-state-sponsored hackers can exploit and take advantage of Russia’s military IT infrastructure.
Certificates received by the Russian Ministry of Defense, FSB, and FSTEC make Astra Linux the dominant domestic operating system in the implementation of IT infrastructure that processes state documents of the highest degree of secrecy.
According to tech media blogs Russian scientists are currently working on the development of a digital testing ground system for unmanned aerial vehicles. This project operates on Astra Linux and its main goal is to speed up the engineering process of the development of combat and non-combat drones. By testing various models of the UAVs in the virtual laboratory Russian scientists and engineers will be able to tweak the best settings to be used during the manufacturing.
Final thoughts
Russia is abandoning Windows and foreign software once and for all. The import substitution in Russia’s IT industry reduces the attack surface, technology dependence on the West, and also the costs of software license and maintenance. Although the process of import substitution in the Russian IT industry started in the early 2000s, it’s the Western sanctions in 2014 that have accelerated the transition.
