Gambiaj.com – ( WASHINGTON, United States) – To bolster US national cybersecurity, the Biden administration announced on Thursday its plans to ban the sale of antivirus software from Russia’s Kaspersky Lab in the United States. This decision comes in light of significant concerns over Moscow’s influence on the company, which has a substantial number of U.S. clients, including critical infrastructure providers and state and local governments.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo highlighted the risks associated with the software, stating that its privileged access to computer systems could enable it to steal sensitive information or install malware, thereby posing a severe threat to U.S. national security. “Russia has shown it has the capacity and the intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans,” Raimondo said during a briefing with reporters.
The ban, set to take effect on September 29, 100 days after its announcement, will prohibit the sale, download, resale, and licensing of Kaspersky software in the U.S. Additionally, three units of Kaspersky will be added to a trade restriction list, effectively barring U.S. suppliers from selling to the company. This action, coupled with previous sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, aims to mitigate the risk of Russian cyberattacks.
Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, supported the decision, stating, “We would never give an adversarial nation the keys to our networks or devices, so it’s crazy to think that we would continue to allow Russian software with the deepest possible device access to be sold to Americans.”
Kaspersky Lab and the Russian Embassy have not responded to requests for comment. Kaspersky has previously asserted that it is a privately managed company with no ties to the Russian government. However, the company’s history has raised suspicions, especially after allegations in 2017 that it was involved in extracting hacking tools from a National Security Agency employee.
The new rules also target white-labeled products integrating Kaspersky software, which will be barred from sale in the U.S. The Commerce Department will notify companies before enforcing the restrictions, ensuring businesses have time to transition to alternative software solutions.
Kaspersky’s Russian business, already under U.S. export restrictions, and its UK-based unit, now facing similar restrictions, have been under scrutiny due to their alleged cooperation with Russian military intelligence. The company reported revenue of $752 million in 2022, with a client base including prominent entities such as Piaggio, Volkswagen’s retail division in Spain, and the Qatar Olympic Committee.
The Biden administration’s action underscores its commitment to securing American cyber infrastructure against potential threats from foreign adversaries. With the new restrictions in place, U.S. businesses are urged to seek alternative cybersecurity solutions to safeguard against the potential exploitation of their systems.
