Lithuanian security services accuse online service Yandex.Taxi of transferring user data to Russia
The service Yandex.Taxi, working in Lithuania is transferring data to Russian IP-addresses, according to the National Center for Cybersecurity (NSCC) under the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania.
In a statement published on the center’s website, specialists of the NSCC state that, after conducting an analysis of the application, they found that the application “maintains active communication with 11 IP-addresses, most of which are located in Russia.”
“NSCC employees found that this application has a regular connection through encrypted channels of communication with IP-addresses in different regions of Russia, regardless of whether the application is in standby or in active mode,” stated the report. It was determined that ten of the 11 IP-addresses are in Russia: six in Moscow, four in Yekaterinburg.
The document also emphasizes that the application “requires access to a large amount of confidential user data,” and that later versions may request even more such information.
In this regard, the NSCC recommends not using this application. This is especially important for officials and employees of the Ministry of Defense of the country.
The press service for Yandex.Taxi noted that the data is stored and used in full compliance with EU legislation. The company assured that they strictly comply with IOS and Android owners’ requirements and user information. “We are ready to explain this to Lithuanian officials and governing organizations, but so far we have not received any requests,” the press service added. They also reminded that the service Yandex.Taxi in Lithuania is operated by the company Yandex.Taxi BV registered in the Netherlands.
These are not the first warnings from the National Center for Cyber Security of Lithuania. At the end of July, the center warned Lithuanian citizens that the application Yandex. Taxi is a threat because it requests a large amount of data. In the past, it was stressed that these Yandex. Taxi requirements may create conditions for illegal collection and accumulation of data.” Also, the agency noted that user data is stored on the company’s servers in their headquarters in Moscow, and it is possible that this data is passed on to Russian local government and regulatory organizations, as well as courts and other third parties. Earlier, the deputy of Lithuania’s Sejm, Audronius Ažubalis, said that Yandex.Taxi is a threat to national security.