[en] The susceptibility of CrNi austenitic steels to the development of intergranular corrosion cracking is evaluated. Intergranular corrosion develops in dependence on carbon content after annealing at temperatures of 500 - 800 degC. An important role is played by impurities in the steel. They may modify the rate of corrosion or passivation or influence the C-Cr balance at the grain boundaries, which leads to changes in kinetics and in thermodynamic parameters of the precipitation of chromium carbides. Intergranular defects have also been found during the development of what are called warm cracks in the weld metal which are related to the segregation of phosphorus and sulfur. Methods are indicated of controlling the microsegregation processes of various additions and of eliminating the effects of annealing and other metallurgical parameters on the said processes. (M.D.)