Security measures for Putin have been stepped up in Russia following reports that AI is being used to target Iranian officials
Russian security services have temporarily suspended certain components of a special surveillance system used to protect Russian President Vladimir Putin and his closest associates. According to sources, the system was only restored after checks and attempts to isolate it from external access via the internet. This was reported to the FT by two people familiar with the situation.
These measures were taken after security services became aware of reports regarding the use of artificial intelligence technologies to analyse large volumes of video footage. According to sources, Israeli intelligence used CCTV footage to determine the location and time of a meeting between Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his inner circle. During the strike, senior officials of the Iranian security forces were eliminated.
Alexander Bortnikov, Director of Russia’s Federal Security Service, stated during a meeting with regional security chiefs that a large-scale CCTV network could become a vulnerability. According to him, the recent elimination of Iranian officials served as a warning about the risks of exploiting software vulnerabilities in video surveillance systems.
Experts note that modern artificial intelligence technologies have significantly expanded the capabilities of video analysis. New systems are capable of searching not only for objects or faces, but also for patterns of human behaviour. This allows thousands of hours of footage to be analysed based on text queries and the relevant clips to be quickly identified within vast data sets.
According to the publication’s sources, including current and former intelligence officials, such capabilities are causing concern in many countries. CCTV systems can be used to track the movements of specific individuals, create detailed profiles of their activities and analyse their contacts.
In Russia, Vladimir Putin’s security is a particular focus of concern regarding this threat. The Russian authorities have long expressed concern about the Ukrainian security services’ ability to access surveillance cameras and other digital sources of information.
According to sources, despite additional security measures, certain CCTV systems in Moscow, including cameras near the Kremlin, remain a potential target for hacking.
The article also notes that various countries are actively developing such technologies. China is investing in new generations of cameras and artificial intelligence software capable of analysing scenes, identifying behavioural patterns and locating video clips based on text queries.
At the same time, experts stress that even the most advanced surveillance systems do not guarantee complete effectiveness. During operations against Hamas and other groups, high-tech equipment has repeatedly been outmanoeuvred by simple methods of camouflage and evading digital surveillance.
