Abstract: This article explores the legal nature of ensuring fulfillment of obligations ion the Russian civil legislation. The relevance of this topic is substantiated by the development of economic market relations attributed to contract system. The author determines and describes the characteristic features of the means of securing obligations. Special attention is given to the means of securing performance of a contract. Touching upon the question about civil-legal mechanisms of securing obligations in the area of procurement of goods and services for the need of penal system, the author draws detailed attention to the implementation in contract system of the means of securing civil-legal obligations and their functions. The article analyzes the various opinions of civil law scholars upon the general definition of the means of securing obligations. The lack of consensus among the civil law scholars testifies to the fact that this issue is yet insufficiently studied and requires further research. The conclusion is made that the means of securing obligations have protective functions aimed at encouraging a debtor towards due fulfillment of obligations and “secure” the interests of a creditor.