Risk from Russia

Total ban on Kaspersky software in the USA

The US government has banned the Russian anti-virus software Kaspersky. An extensive investigation has shown that this is the only way to address national security concerns, a sub-agency of the US Department of Commerce announced on Thursday.

The sale of Kaspersky software to businesses and consumers in the US will be banned from July 20. From September 29, Kaspersky will also no longer be allowed to install updates - this would render the software largely useless against new threats. The transition period is intended to give customers time to switch to other providers, explained the Office for Industry and Security.

The reason for the ban is the Russian government's cyberattack capabilities and its ability to influence Kaspersky's activities. The company's software is capable of collecting information from US companies and citizens that could be misused by the Russian government, the authority warned.

Kaspersky, once an internationally respected specialist in PC security, has had a difficult time in the West for years. In the USA, installation on government devices has been banned since 2017. Kaspersky has always rejected all accusations and in particular denied links to Russian intelligence services.