28 Jun Kaspersky: USA has Banned it EVERYTHING you need to know

Kaspersky’s previous work for the Russian military, as well as his schooling at a KGB-sponsored technical college, have raised concerns about whether he utilizes his position to serve Russian government objectives and intelligence activities.

According to Wired, Kaspersky’s detractors accuse him of leveraging the firm to spy on users for Russian intelligence. Russian telecommunications businesses, for example, are compelled by federal legislation to collaborate with the government’s military and surveillance activities if requested. Kaspersky said that his organization had never been requested to tamper with its software for espionage and referred to the charges as “cold war paranoia.” According to Wired, Kaspersky employees argue “not unconvincingly” that snooping on users would harm the company, and its relationship with the Russian FSB, the KGB’s successor, is strained. Gartner says, “There’s no evidence that they have any back doors in their software or any ties to the Russian mafia or state… but there is still a concern that you can’t operate in Russia without being controlled by the ruling party.” Computing criticized some of the more outlandish spying charges, but said it would be difficult for a Russian company to grow to the level of Kaspersky Lab without connections to the Russian government. NPR journalists also stated that Kaspersky was unlikely to deploy its software for espionage since it would be hazardous for the company’s business, but that Kaspersky had an unusual lack of interest in Russia-based criminals.

Bloomberg reported in August 2015 that Kaspersky Lab had shifted strategy in 2012. According to the journal, “high-level managers have left or been fired,” and their positions are frequently filled by those with deeper links to Russia’s military or intelligence agencies. Some of these workers actively help the FSB’s illegal investigations by leveraging data from some of its 400 million clients.”Bloomberg and The New York Times also claimed Kaspersky was less proactive in spotting assaults from Russia than from other nations, which Kaspersky denies. For example, he reportedly disregarded or minimized a series of denial-of-service operations launched in December 2011 to disrupt internet discussions criticizing Russian officials.

Kaspersky also allegedly disregarded Sofacy, a Russian-made malware said to have been employed by Russia against NATO and Eastern Europe. Kaspersky, on the other hand, revealed information about the Crouching Yeti hacks in Russia two days before Bloomberg accused him of ignoring them. At the time, the business has released eleven reports on hazardous Russian programs. FireEye, a competitor, stated that investigating cybercrimes committed by one’s own government is difficult even in the United States.

According to a Bloomberg report from March 2015, a growing number of Kaspersky Lab executives had previously worked for Russian military and intelligence organizations. Apparently, Kaspersky Lab “published a mammoth response, tearing down Bloomberg’s accusations and accusing them of throwing facts out the window for the sake of a juicy anti-Russian narrative. According to competitor FireEye, several US IT businesses employ executives who have previously worked for government military and intelligence services. According to NPR, Kaspersky is working more closely with Russian cybersecurity organizations to apprehend hackers. Kaspersky has revealed that Russian agencies are among its government clients.

The allegations resurfaced in May 2017, when US National Security Agency (NSA) director Mike Rogers told a Senate Intelligence Committee that the NSA was reviewing the US government’s use of Kaspersky software for fear that it would allow Russian intelligence services to conduct spy operations or launch cyber attacks on American digital infrastructure. According to ABC, the Department of Homeland Security released a confidential report in February on probable ties between Kaspersky Lab and Russian intelligence, and the FBI is presently examining the situation.[48] According to DIA director Vincent Stewart, the government is “tracking Kaspersky and their software.” In a press release, Eugene Kaspersky disputed that his software is being or might be used for such reasons, adding that “as

“As a private company, Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyber-espionage efforts.”He further indicated that the US did not want to utilize his company’s software for political reasons, and dismissed the charges as “unfounded conspiracy theories.”

In 2017, the US Department of Homeland Security banned Kaspersky’s major antivirus software from government networks, citing alleged ties to Russian intelligence. In 2024, the US Commerce Department declared that “Kaspersky will generally no longer be able to, among other activities, sell its software within the United States or provide updates to software that is already in use.”

Kaspersky is one of many Russian “oligarchs” identified in the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2017.

Antivirus spoofing

In August 2015, two former Kaspersky workers claimed that the corporation inserted changed files into the VirusTotal community anti-virus database to fool its competitors’ systems into generating false positives. The false positives caused essential uninfected files to be deactivated or removed. The claims also stated that Kaspersky directed some of the measures, with a focus on rivals, especially Chinese firms he believed were duplicating his software. Emails from 2009, two years after Kaspersky became CEO, were purportedly leaked to Reuters, with one apparently showing Kaspersky threatening to go after competitors by “rubbing them out in the outhouse,” a metaphor popularized by Vladimir Putin. The corporation refuted the charges.

Why is the United States banning Kaspersky?

 
Kaspersky is being banned in the United States after the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) undertook an investigation into the company’s cybersecurity and anti-virus operations. According to BIS, the corporation poses “unacceptable risks to the United States’ national security, as well as the security and safety of its people.” The major worries are Kaspersky’s ties to Russia, potential security flaws in its products, and the possibility that Russia may exploit these flaws.

In its release, the BIS identified five particular vulnerabilities to national security posed by Kaspersky. Kaspersky’s links to Russia raise serious concerns. According to the Bureau of International Security, Russia is a foreign foe who presents persistent dangers to the US. According to the CIA, Kaspersky is under Russian government supervision and control, which gives it access to sensitive information from US consumers.

Other factors cited for the Kaspersky ban include the software’s capacity to implant viruses. “Kaspersky software allows for the capability and opportunity to install malicious software and withhold critical updates,” the FBI adds. “Manipulation of Kaspersky software, even in US critical infrastructure, can lead to data theft, espionage, and system failures. The items also pose a threat to economic security and public health in the United States, perhaps resulting in injury or death.

Kaspersky’s ban in the United States should come as no surprise, given the company has been on the government’s radar for quite some time. In 2017, the United States prohibited the use of the Moscow-based cybersecurity firm’s products by all federal entities.

Kaspersky’s Response to the Ban

Kaspersky rejected on Friday that it is a security issue, claiming that the government made its decision based on “geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns” rather than objectively evaluating the risk. The corporation claims it cannot collect sensitive data on Americans and that its operations and workers in Russia can only access aggregate or statistical data that cannot be linked to a single individual.

The following is an excerpt from the company’s official statement. The whole statement may be seen on Kaspersky’s site.

“For over 26 years, Kaspersky has protected over a billion devices, fulfilling its aim of creating a safer future. Kaspersky offers industry-leading products and services to clients all over the world to defend them from all forms of cyber attacks, and it has consistently shown its independence from any government. Furthermore, Kaspersky has established substantial transparency measures that no other cybersecurity company has, demonstrating its long-standing dedication to honesty and reliability. The Department of Commerce’s judgment disregards the facts in an unjust manner.

What does the ban mean for you?

The Kaspersky ban simply means that you will be unable to acquire its software products, and if you currently own one, it will cease to function shortly. Beginning July 20, Kaspersky and its partners will be unable to sell or license cybersecurity or antivirus software in the United States. Resellers who already own one, it will shortly stop operating. Beginning July 20, Kaspersky and any of its partners will be unable to sell or license cybersecurity or antivirus software in the United States. Resellers that already have the items in stock will be able to sell them through September 29.

It is worth mentioning that, while the BIS has banned the majority of Kaspersky products, some have been excluded. These include Kaspersky Threat Intelligence, Kaspersky Security Training, and Kaspersky Consulting & Advisory services.

Existing Kaspersky customers have until September 29 to find another solution, since the business will no longer be able to deliver antivirus signature updates after that date.

Which antivirus should you use now that Kaspersky is banned?
Kaspersky’s antivirus was widely used, but now that it’s prohibited, it’s time to hunt for alternatives. An antivirus is the greatest approach to keep yourself safe from visiting fraudulent links that install malware and provide access to your personal information. It can also notify you about phishing emails or ransomware schemes.