© RIA Novosti / Sergey MamontovA prototype of a Russian tablet, built using the Android-derived operating system RoMOS for the Russian Defense Ministry, which is apparently one featuring a physical disconnection of communication modules described by the OS developer TsNII EISU.
The blunt-but-effective approach may sound like overkill, but the developer, a Russian research institute specializing in creating communication systems and providing IT security solutions for the military hopes their potential clients would appreciate it.
The device, dubbed 'Rupad' by some media, is meant for the Russian armed forces, law enforcement agencies and secret services. The 'kill communications' button it features affects GPS, 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth modules, as well as its two cameras, microphone and even speaker, Deputy director for development at TsNII EISU, Dmitry Petrov, told RIA Novosti.
Other specific features of the tablet include an Android-derived operating system that is meant to add an extra layer of anti-hacking protection and also replaces Google's application store with another one, where all apps are vetted by the device producer.
The tablet can work 1 meter underwater for at least 30 minutes, functions in hot temperatures of up to +55 degrees Celsius, and is shock-resistant. An extra-tough variant fit for combat zone is available.
The institute has produced dozens of prototypes to be delivered for testing to potential customers. If the device is approved, the producer may develop a variant for civilian market aimed at buyers requiring high level of protection of their data, like top executives and people concerned about their privacy.
Reader Comments
russian brothers with their bold claims. It's very good that their making their own version of Google's and Apple's not so wonderful products. But still, one may want to be careful not to make others laugh. There is no such thing as a hacker-proof device, especially mobile. Hackers in Russia and the World would love to have access to a secret cop's small handheld device! And they will!
"physically disconnecting communication modules and sensors on demand" - the Operating System that I'm writing this from has a little button in the lower left corner called "Emergency Shutoff switch" that kills all networking. I will press it if I know that someone is having a session with me. How do you know, on a tablet, that someone has made a session with you? People hardly ever look at their logs on their PC, let alone this little thing. Aaand, glardu, it can't be always disconnected.
"'kill communications' button it features affects GPS, 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth modules" That's a good thing, but it's not necessarily a hard earned discovery in the IT field.... to say the least. You can mod your Linux to do that by yourself, though I admit, you need to play around with it a little bit.
"all apps are vetted by the device producer" - How many will they enjoy? Plus, I want to ask glardu the following: if the secret services are using the device, or similar governmental agencies, it would imply connectivity, right? Or are they going to use a notes app and back up their secret observations to their flash drive later? I doubt it.
"The tablet can work 1 meter underwater for at least 30 minutes" My father's cell phone can do that and it's a Samsung XCover. I don't know how bad a CAT ultrarugged phone will beat it at ruggedness. I don't want to even check. "and is shock-resistant." Keep talking.
I would be extremely glad to see it on the civ. market. Let's see how impossible it is for hackers to break.