U.S. Prohibits Use of Kaspersky Russian Antivirus Software
Based on Kaspersky's ongoing activities within the U.S., the Trade Ministry voiced concerns, deeming it a potential threat to national security, as stated. Russia has demonstrated its ability and willingness to leverage Russian companies like Kaspersky Lab to gather sensitive US data and utilize it as a tactical advantage, according to U.S. Trade Minister Gina Raimondo.
This ban applies not only to Kaspersky itself but also to its subsidiaries and parent companies, as stated in a statement to news agency AFP.
The company rebeled against these allegations. It believes that the U.S. Trade Ministry's decision was made under the influence of the "current geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns," as told to AFP by Kaspersky. The company is determined to pursue all legal avenues to carry on its operations.
Headquartered in Moscow, Kaspersky operates in 31 countries and boasts over 400 million private and 270,000 corporate customers spread across more than 200 countries.
The U.S. Trade Ministry strongly advises Kaspersky customers to switch to alternative antivirus software. However, those who choose to stick with the program will not face any penalties. U.S. authorities have granted Kaspersky until September 29 to give its U.S. customers adequate time to find alternatives.
In 2017, the U.S. government prohibited the use of Kaspersky software for federal agencies. In 2022, products sourced either directly or indirectly from Kaspersky were labeled as a "risk to internal security."
As early as March 2022, the German Federal Office for Information Security advised against the use of Kaspersky products, shortly after the start of the Ukraine conflict.
Due to the allegations of collaboration with Russian authorities, the company announced in 2020 that it had transferred the data of its western customers to a data center in Switzerland.
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The USA's prohibition on using Kaspersky's antivirus software extends to its subsidiaries and parent companies, as acknowledged by AFP. Russian companies like Kaspersky Lab, such as Kaspersky, are accused by the USA of potentially threatening national security, as stated by U.S. Trade Minister Gina Raimondo. Despite these concerns, Kaspersky firmly denies playing a role in data gathering and believes the U.S. Trade Ministry's decision is influenced by geopolitical tensions.
