Russian antivirus software 'Kaspersky' completely banned in the US
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On June 20, 2024, the Joe Biden administration in the United States announced that it would ban domestic sales of Russian antivirus software Kaspersky and requested that users switch to other companies' products by September 29. The background to this is security concerns that the Russian government may collect confidential information from the United States through Russian companies and divert it for military use.
Commerce Department Prohibits Russian Kaspersky Software for US Customers | Bureau of Industry and Security
https://www.bis.gov/press-release/commerce-department-prohibits-russian-kaspersky-software-us-customers
Biden bans Kaspersky antivirus software in US over security concerns
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/biden-bans-kaspersky-antivirus-software-in-us-over-security-concerns/
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and relations between Russia and the West rapidly deteriorated, Kaspersky issued a statement showing a neutral stance. However, this did not resolve concerns about Russian companies, and the governments of Canada and Germany have moved to exclude Kaspersky, and the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also designated Kaspersky as an 'unacceptable threat to national security.'
The Federal Communications Commission has determined that Kaspersky Lab, a Russian security company, poses an 'unacceptable threat to national security' - GIGAZINE
On June 20, 2024, the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it would 'announce a final decision to prohibit Kaspersky Lab, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of a Russia-based security company, from selling or providing products or services to U.S. citizens in the United States,' implementing a near-total ban on Kaspersky products.
As a result, Kaspersky will no longer be able to enter into new contracts with U.S. businesses starting on July 20, 30 days after the announcement, and will no longer be able to distribute product updates or operate security services to U.S. users 100 days later, on September 29.
The BIS cited the risk of Kaspersky being controlled by the Russian government and accessing US secrets or installing malicious software at its direction as the reason for the ban.
The ban, which applies to all parent, subsidiaries and affiliates of Kaspersky Lab, Inc., is the first of its kind. BIS also announced that it had added three Kaspersky entities in Russia and the United States - AO Kaspersky Lab, OOO Kaspersky Group and Kaspersky Labs Limited - to the Entity List for allegedly assisting the Russian military and Russian intelligence services.
In response to the authorities' decision, Kaspersky issued a statement saying, 'We are aware of the BIS's decision to ban the use of Kaspersky software in the United States. We believe this decision is based on geopolitical developments and theoretical concerns, rather than a comprehensive evaluation of Kaspersky's products and services. Kaspersky has not engaged in any activities that threaten the national security of the United States, and in fact has made significant contributions to protecting and reporting various threat actors targeting the United States and its allies. We intend to pursue all legal options to maintain our current business and partnerships.'
— Kaspersky (@kaspersky) June 20, 2024
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