Федеральное агентство воздушного транспорта

The Federal Air Transport Agency, commonly known as Rosaviatsia, serves as Russia's civil aviation authority, responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil air transport within the country. Its core functions encompass the registration of aircraft, the management of aviation documentation, and the enforcement of safety and operational standards for airlines and related entities. The agency maintains official records, processes regulatory documents, and facilitates communications critical to the national aviation ecosystem. Its operational scope is national, governing all civil aviation activities under Russian jurisdiction, which positions it as the central governmental body for this sector. The agency's digital infrastructure is fundamental to its mission, housing extensive databases that include aircraft registrations, official emails, and various server contents essential for daily regulatory functions. This reliance on electronic systems underscores its role as a modern regulatory agency managing a complex national asset registry and compliance framework.

The scale and critical nature of Rosaviatsia's digital operations were starkly revealed during a major cyber incident on March 26, 2022. A powerful attack targeted its servers, resulting in the erasure of approximately 65 terabytes of data, a volume indicating a substantial repository of official records and communications. The assault also disabled its official website, forcing the agency to temporarily revert to paper-based processes and alternative communication channels to continue essential functions. This disruption highlighted a significant vulnerability: investigations suggested that functional data backups were reportedly nonexistent, a condition attributed to chronic funding shortages for IT maintenance. The agency publicly linked the attack to a presumed hacking group, though that group denied involvement to avoid civilian harm. Concurrently, Rosaviatsia initiated scrutiny of its infrastructure contractor, InfAvia, with prosecutorial and security services investigating allegations of inadequate IT upkeep. The incident not only caused immediate operational paralysis but also exposed systemic challenges in maintaining resilient digital governance for a key national transportation sector. The event remains a defining case of cyber vulnerability within Russia's state regulatory apparatus.