The U.S. Commerce Department has banned the sale of software from Russian cybersecurity firm and antivirus maker Kaspersky Lab from September 29, citing security risks and alleged ties to the Russian government. The department has said in the directive that Kaspersky will not be able to run any activities, including selling their software in the United States, nor can it update the sold software.
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said, “Moscow’s influence on Kaspersky Lab has proven to pose a significant risk to US infrastructure and services.”
Meanwhile, Kaspersky authorities have said that they will follow the legal path to fight the ban. They also claim that the company is not involved in any activities that threaten the security of the United States. The U.S. Department of Commerce said the ban announcement will take effect on September 29. From that day, Kaspersky software updates, resales and licensing in the United States will be completely stopped. New businesses will also be regulated within 30 days of the ban being announced. If anyone violates the sanctions, they will face fines from the US Department of Commerce. The US Commerce Department will also list two Kaspersky and one UK-based unit for cooperating with Russian military intelligence.
According to the US Department of Commerce, Kaspersky Lab’s close relationship with the Russian government could pose a security risk to the United States. At the same time, due to access to Kaspersky’s software computer system, there is a possibility of stealing sensitive information of US users through malware. That’s why the United States has decided to ban Kaspersky’s products.
In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security banned Kaspersky’s flagship antivirus from federal networks, accusing it of having ties to Russian intelligence. According to a report published by PC Mag, last year Canada banned the use of Kaspersky’s security software on all government-issued mobile devices. At the time, the chief information officer of the Treasury Board of Secretariat of Canada called WeChat and Kaspersky unacceptable for privacy and security.
Kaspersky Lab is a major antivirus software company founded in Moscow in 1997 that competes with McAfee and Symantec. Although the multinational company is headquartered in Moscow, its operations are spread in 31 countries around the world. The company has more than 400 million customers in more than 200 countries. In addition, Kaspersky has been providing regular services to about 270,000 corporate clients.
In 2022, Kaspersky raised $752 million from more than 220,000 business clients in 200 countries, including Piaggio, Volkswagen’s Spanish retail subsidiary and the Qatar Olympic Committee. According to analysts, the US government’s decision to ban Kaspersky software could affect the company’s image and sales worldwide.
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