US Blocks Leading Cybersecurity Firm Kaspersky

Uploaded on 2024-06-24 in NEWS-Cybersecurity News, INTELLIGENCE-Hot Spots-Russia, FREE TO VIEW

The Russian cyber security software firm Kaspersky’s future in the US are over as the government has announced that it no longer permit the leading international company from selling its products in America due to suspected links with the the Putin regime. The US Department of Commerce will also blacklist two Russian and one UK-based unit of Kaspersky for allegedly cooperating with Russian military intelligence.

Overall, the company serves over 400 million users and 270,000 corporate clients in more than 200 countries.

Russian influence over the company is considered to pose a significant risk to US infrastructure and services, according to a statement by the Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. She said that the US was compelled to take action due to Russia's "capacity and... intent to collect and weaponise the personal information of Americans".

Sellers and resellers who violate the restrictions will face fines from the Commerce Department. While the multinational firm is headquartered in Moscow, it has eight regional units, including one in Woburn, Massachusetts, as well as offices in 31 countries around the world.

"Kaspersky will generally no longer be able to, among other activities, sell its software within the United States or provide updates to software already in use," the Commerce Department said in a Final Determination which will stop Kaspersky's US subsidiary from providing any products or services in the US. It will no longer be able to sell Kaspersky’s software within the US or provide updates to software already in use.

While Kaspersky has denied on that it is a security threat, the Commerce Deprtmant has set a deadline at the end of September, giving US consumers and businesses 3 month to find alternative cyber security solutions

Raimondo said Kaspersky's Russia origins presented a significant risk to US infrastructure and services. She also said that the US must act against Russia’s "capacity and intent to collect and weaponise the personal information of Americans.”

Although the exact number of US customers Kaspersky serves is not disclosed, a Commerce Department official told Reuters that it was a “significant number” and included businesses in critical national infrastructure.

Kaspersky said it intended to pursue "all legally available options" to fight the ban and denied engaging in any activity that threatened US security. “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 US national security and, in fact, has made significant contributions with its reporting and protection from a variety of threat actors that targeted US interests and allies."

Kaspersky intends to pursue all legally available options to preserve its current operations and relationships,” said the company on Twitter / X. On June 21, the Russian government has described the ban as “unfair competition.”

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