Biden admin bans US sales of Kaspersky cybersecurity software

[KARAH RUCKER]

IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS BANNING SALES OF CERTAIN CYBERSECURITY SOFTWARE TO PRIVATE U.S. BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS. IT SAYS CYBERSECURITY FIRM KAPERSKY LAB’S SOFTWARE IS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT. 

KAPSERSKY DENIED THAT ALLEGATION FRIDAY, JUNE 21, SAYING “GEOPOLITICAL CLIMATE AND THEORETICAL CONCERNS” RATHER THAN INDEPENDENTLY VERIFYING IF THERE WAS A RISK. THE COMPANY ALSO SAID THE DECISION WOULD NOT AFFECT ITS ABILITY TO SELL AND PROMOTE ITS CYBER SECURITY PRODUCTS AND TRAINING IN THE U.S. 

KASPERSKY ADDED ITS ACTIVITIES DO NOT THREATEN NATIONAL SECURITY AND IT WILL PURSUE LEGAL OPTIONS. 

THIS IS THE LATEST MOVE BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO BLOCK AMERICANS FROM USING POPULAR TECHNOLOGY THAT IT CONSIDERS A NATIONAL SECURITY RISK. 

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM USING KASPERSKY LAB SOFTWARE SINCE 2017. U.S. OFFICIALS HAVE SAID FOR YEARS THEY BELIEVE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT COULD FORCE KASPERSKY TO HAND OVER DATA OR USE ITS ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE TO HACK OR SURVEIL AMERICANS. KAPERSKY HAS LONG DENIED THOSE ALLEGATIONS. 

U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SECRETARY GINA RAIMONDO SAID THE NEW RULE—WHICH USES BROAD POWERS CREATED DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION—WILL BE COUPLED WITH ANOTHER MOVE TO ADD THREE UNITS OF THE COMPANY TO A TRADE RESTRICTION LIST, WHICH COULD IMPACT KAPERSKY’S OVERSEAS SALES. 

UNDER THE NEW RULE, KAPERSKY WOULD HAVE TO STOP SELLING ITS PRODUCTS IN THE U.S. BY JULY 20. CONSUMERS WHO ALREADY HAVE THE COMPANY’S PRODUCTS WILL STOP GETTING UPDATES AT TEH END OF SEPTEMBER.