US government bans Kaspersky antivirus software – what you need to know
The U.S. government has announced an upcoming ban of Kaspersky’s antivirus software that will go into effect next month.
As reported by The Hacker News, this “first of its kind” ban will prohibit the Russian company from directly or even indirectly selling its security software in the country. However, it also extends to Kaspersky’s affiliates, subsidiaries and parent companies.
In a press release announcing the ban, the U.S Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry & Security explained that the company’s “continued operations in the United States presented a national security risk-due to the Russian Government’s offensive cyber capabilities and capacity to influence or direct Kaspersky’s operations.”
At the same time, Kaspersky has been added to the U.S. government’s Entity List as a result of its “cooperation with Russian military and intelligence authorities in support of the Russian Government’s cyber intelligence objectives.” Other companies on this list include Huawei and DJI; the former’s products are banned for sale in the U.S., while a ban on DJI drones recently passed the House.
This isn’t the first time the U.S. government has gone after the 26-year-old cybersecurity firm. Back in 2017, Kaspersky’s security software was banned from being used by government employees on federal networks, once again over national security concerns. Then almost five years later, the company was added to the FCC’s “Covered List” of companies that pose an “unacceptable risk to the national security” of the United States.
In response, a Kaspersky spokesperson provided the following statement to Tom’s Guide:
“Kaspersky believes that the Department of Commerce made its decision based on the present geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns, rather than on a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services. Kaspersky does not engage in activities which threaten U.S. national security and, in fact, has made significant contributions with its reporting and protection from a variety of threat actors that targeted U.S. interests and allies. The company intends to pursue all legally available options to preserve its current…
