Google, Apple, Mozilla Move to Block Kazakh Surveillance System

State security officials had said its goal was to protect Kazakh users from "hacker attacks, online fraud and other kinds of cyber threats".

Advertisement
By Reuters | Updated: 22 August 2019 13:25 IST

Alphabet Inc's Google, Apple Inc and Firefox browser maker Mozilla took steps on Wednesday to block the Kazakh government from creating an internet surveillance system using their browsers.

Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will block a government encryption certificate that allows authorities to read anything a user types or posts using the browsers, including account information and passwords, the companies said in separate statements.

Apple also said in a statement it would take similar measures to protect the users of its Safari browser.

Advertisement

Kazakh authorities were not immediately available to comment.

Advertisement

Earlier this month, Kazakhstan said it had halted implementation of the system, the initial roll out of which was described as a test by the government.

State security officials had said its goal was to protect Kazakh users from "hacker attacks, online fraud and other kinds of cyber threats".

Advertisement

The system could be deployed again "if threats emerge to national security in the form of cyber- and information attacks", Kazakhstan's National Security Committee said in a statement this month.

The former Soviet Central Asian nation routinely blocks websites and applications used by its critics, including Facebook and Youtube, for short periods of time.

Advertisement

The blocks have often coincided with public protests, the most recent wave of which took place around the time of the June 9 election which completed the transfer of power from strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev to his loyal ally Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

© Thomson Reuters 2019

 

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Further reading: Chrome, Firefox, Apple, Google
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Vivo Y500i With a 7,200mAh Battery, 50-Megapixel Camera Launched
  2. These OnePlus, Samsung Phones Will Be on Sale During Amazon's Next Sale
  3. Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2026: iQOO Smartphone Deals Revealed
  4. Vivo X200T Confirmed to Launch in India Soon: See Expected Specs
  5. Disney+ to Launch Vertical Video Feed to Rival TikTok, YouTube Shorts
  6. Grok Banned in Indonesia and Malaysia Following Deepfake Image Concerns
  7. Best Laser Printers to Buy in India Right Now
  1. After OpenAI, Now Anthropic Introduces Claude for Healthcare AI Tools
  2. Honor Magic 8 RSR Porsche Design Launch Date, Colourways Announced; Set to Arrive Alongside Magic 8 Pro Air
  3. Mahasenha Volume 1 OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch This Mystical Thriller Online?
  4. Kirkkan OTT Release Date Confirmed: When and Where to Watch it Online?
  5. OnePlus 15T Colourways, RAM, Storage Variants Leaked Online; Tipped to Launch With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC
  6. Vivo X200T India Launch Teased; Flipkart Availability Confirmed: Expected Specifications
  7. Bitcoin Trades Flat as Crypto Markets Enter Consolidation Phase
  8. Forza Horizon 6 and Fable Gameplay to Debut at Xbox Developer Direct on January 22
  9. Instagram Denies Reports of Hacking and Data Breach, Says ‘Accounts Are Secure’
  10. Shell OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Elizabeth Moss and Kate Hudson’s Psychological Drama Online?
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.