The Biden administration plans to instate a ban on the sale, download, and use of Kaspersky Lab's antivirus software in the US due to national security concerns over its ties to the Russian government and the potential for the software to be exploited for cyberattacks, data theft, or malware installation.
The ban prohibits new sales of Kaspersky software from July 20, 2024, and existing customers can only receive updates until September 29, 2024. The US Commerce Department has added three Kaspersky units to its trade restriction list, barring them from receiving goods from American suppliers.
The decision is based on Russian laws that allow intelligence agencies to compel assistance from companies like Kaspersky and intercept communications, as well as the company's privileged access to computer systems, which could pose a threat to critical infrastructure providers and governments.
The Biden administration previously imposed sanctions on individuals associated with Kaspersky Lab's leadership, but not on the company itself or its CEO and founder, Eugene Kaspersky.
Kaspersky denies ties to the Russian government and plans to challenge the ban through legal options. The company reported $752 million in revenue for 2022 and serves over 220,000 corporate clients worldwide.
The company claims the ban is based on geopolitical concerns rather than the integrity of its products and services, and disputes engaging in activities that threaten US national security.
The authority to impose this ban stems from powers established during the Trump administration, and violations of the restrictions will incur fines and potentially criminal charges for sellers and resellers.
The US cybersecurity community and intelligence agencies have been skeptical of Kaspersky, especially following tensions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and have warned about Kaspersky being a national security threat for years, with concerns about data security and cyberespionage activities linked to the Russian government.
Kaspersky's informational and educational services, such as threat intelligence and consulting, are not affected by the ban.
The Kremlin criticized the US decision, calling it a move to eliminate competition for American companies.
Sources include the Washington Post, Washington Times, Wired, Forbes, The Verge, CNN, Al Jazeera, gov.ng, TechEdt, Business Times Online, Silicon.co.uk, Interesting Engineering, The Guardian, Fast Company, CNBC, com.mx, PC Mag, News.yahoo, English.aawsat.com, and GridinSoft.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
