The Biden administration has issued an order banning the use of all software from Kaspersky Lab, citing its ties to Russia.
The company’s software has been a concern for the U.S. government since at least 2017 due to suspicions that the Russian government has influenced it, which has full access to all of Kaspersky’s systems and customer data. ABC News reported.
“Russia has demonstrated the capability, and even the intent, to use Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize Americans’ personal information,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Thursday, the media reported.
Raimondo said the company had long been a concern, but that the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security had new powers to ban Kaspersky.
“Ultimately, the department determined that the Russian government’s continuing offensive cyber capabilities and ability to influence Kaspersky’s operations required us to take the significant step of a total ban to protect Americans and their personal data,” Raimondo said.
After July 20, Kaspersky will no longer be able to sign new contracts in the US. Existing customers will be able to use the software until September 29, but will see a “degraded” service after that, ABC News reported.
Ms Raimondo called on Americans and US companies to “immediately stop” using the software, but said continuing to use existing Kaspersky products would not violate the law. Users will no longer be able to update their products after September 20.
In a statement reported by ABC News, the Secretary of Homeland Security said the measure is critical to national security and protects the personal information and privacy of Americans. He vowed to continue working with various departments and officials to protect “our nation’s most critical systems and assets.”
