- Security researchers have found that the Russia-developed messaging app MAX comes with “excessive tracking” abilities
- The app must be pre-installed on every new device sold in Russia from September 1
- The Kremlin is also considering blocking WhatsApp, today’s most popular messaging app in Russia
Russian WhatsApp rival, the state-developed Max messaging app, appears to be designed to spy on its users.
That’s the verdict coming from multiple technical analyses commissioned by Forbes, only days before the app will be forced onto all devices sold in Russia. From September 1, tech vendors must pre-install the MAX app on all new smartphones and tablets.
Experts at the Russian digital rights group, Roskomsvoboda, however, told TechRadar that MAX actually comes with fewer permissions than rivals like Telegram and WhatsApp. Yet they still strongly suggest against using the app for confidential communication.
“The bigger issue lies in the fact that everything transmitted through MAX will be stored on government servers,” Ilya Perevalov, Technical Expert of Roskomsvoboda and RKS Global, told TechRadar, adding that the full impact on users “will become clear in the future.”
Developed by VK – the provider behind Mail.ru email and VKnote social media services – Max was first launched in March 2025 and already counts 18 million registered users, according to Russian news agency Interfax. Similar to the Chinese WeChat, MAX is also integrated with government services.
What are the risks of using MAX?
Security researchers who talked to Forbes have all found the app to constantly monitor users’ activities thanks to “excessive tracking” capabilities. The app also seems to be lacking encryption protections, while being built on an overall insecure design.
These findings confirm what privacy experts have long feared – using MAX will make Russian citizens vulnerable to state surveillance. An allegation that, so far, the Kremlin has strongly denied, declaring to Reuters that “it has fewer permissions to access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram.”
While experts at Roskomsvoboda confirmed what the Kremlin claims about the number of permissions MAX asks for, they are still warning that the app could turn into a surveillance tool.
“MAX has enormous surveillance potential, as all information and communication within it is accessible to intelligence agencies in real time,” explains Perevalov.
MAX users are also at higher risk of data breaches and fraud, especially considering that sensitive data like payment and banking details are set to be integrated within the app.
All in all, “MAX should under no circumstances be used for confidential communication,” warns Perevalov.
Can people in Russia use other encrypted messaging services?
While Signal has been blocked in Russia since August last year, WhatsApp is still available and the most used messaging app across the country at the time of writing.
This could soon change, however, as authorities have recently confirmed their intention to ban WhatsApp in Russia, blocking access to the only Meta-owned service still functioning in the country.
Even more recently, on August 13, 2025, Interfax confirmed that authorities partially restrict calls on both Telegram and WhatsApp, allegedly as a measure to combat criminal and terrorist activities.
The looming WhatsApp ban comes as the Kremlin also recently passed a law to punish online searches for so-called ‘extremist’ content, while adding new penalties to those using VPN services.
This means that using one of the best VPN services to bypass a potential ban on WhatsApp, or any other app for that matter, has suddenly become ever more challenging.
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chiara.castro@futurenet.com (Chiara Castro)
