Russia Says It Can Shut Down Phishing Sites Within a Day
Russian cybersecurity firms say coordinated, round-the-clock monitoring now allows most phishing websites to be blocked within 24 hours—often before scammers can steal money.
Phishing websites in Russia are now typically taken offline within 24 hours, according to Oleg Skulkin, head of external cyberthreat prevention at Bi.Zone. Skulkin shared the figures in an interview with TASS.
Multiple cybersecurity vendors are involved in monitoring the web simultaneously, Skulkin said. When a fake site is discovered—especially one that imitates the branding or logos of legitimate companies—it is immediately flagged for blocking. In most cases, attackers do not have enough time to extract money from victims before the site is shut down.
Because of this rapid response, scammers increasingly register large batches of domains at once. The strategy is simple: hope that at least a few sites stay online long enough to cause damage. Even then, Skulkin said, only isolated cases succeed, since monitoring operates 24/7.
Users can still encounter phishing sites by accident, particularly through search engines. According to Skulkin, attackers often target professionals such as accountants or lawyers who search for specialized information. Malicious domains are embedded into search keywords and, in some cases, promoted through online advertising, making fraudulent pages appear legitimate at first glance.
A More Coordinated Defense Is Coming
To strengthen this collective response, Russia plans to establish a national operational task force to combat cyber fraud in 2026. The task force will include representatives from federal agencies, financial institutions, and IT companies. New legislative measures are also being prepared.
Authorities say the approach is already showing results. By the end of 2025, the number of cybercrimes recorded in Russia had declined compared with 2024.
The takeaway is less about a single technology and more about coordination. By combining constant monitoring, faster takedowns, and tighter cooperation between the state and private cybersecurity firms, Russia is trying to make phishing attacks short-lived, costly, and increasingly ineffective.
