The U.S. government has announced an upcoming ban of Kaspersky\u2019s antivirus software that will go into effect next month.<\/p>\n
As reported by The Hacker News<\/u>, this \u201cfirst of its kind\u201d ban will prohibit the Russian company from directly or even indirectly selling its security software in the country. However, it also extends to Kaspersky\u2019s affiliates, subsidiaries and parent companies.<\/p>\n
In a press release<\/u> announcing the ban, the U.S Commerce Department\u2019s Bureau of Industry & Security explained that the company\u2019s \u201ccontinued operations in the United States presented a national security risk-due to the Russian Government\u2019s offensive cyber capabilities and capacity to influence or direct Kaspersky\u2019s operations.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, Kaspersky has been added to the U.S. government\u2019s Entity List<\/u> as a result of its “cooperation with Russian military and intelligence authorities in support of the Russian Government’s cyber intelligence objectives.”\u00a0Other companies on this list include Huawei and DJI; the former’s products are banned for sale in the U.S., while a ban on DJI drones recently passed the House.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time the U.S. government has gone after the 26-year-old cybersecurity firm. Back in 2017, Kaspersky\u2019s security software was banned from being used by government employees on federal networks, once again over national security concerns. Then almost five years later, the company was added to the FCC\u2019s \u201cCovered List<\/u>\u201d of companies that pose an \u201cunacceptable risk to the national security\u201d of the United States.<\/p>\n
In response, a Kaspersky spokesperson provided the following statement to SocialVpns’s Guide:<\/p>\n
\u201cKaspersky 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\u2019s products and services. Kaspersky does not engage in activities which threaten U.S. national security and, in fact, has made significant contributions with its reporting and protection from a variety of threat actors that targeted U.S. interests and allies. The company intends to pursue all legally available options to preserve its current operations and relationships.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beginning on July 20, American businesses and consumers will no longer be able to purchase Kaspersky\u2019s antivirus and other security software. However, existing customers will still be able to receive updates until September 29.<\/p>\n Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wbnnjnFdxfHUZGiSFXky2S.jpg\")
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