The United States bans the sales of Kaspersky anti-virus software and cybersecurity products, citing national security concerns. According to Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, “the decision was made after an extremely thorough investigation.” She said that the company’s ties to Moscow pose a risk to the personal information of Americans.
The ban, which will take full effect on September 29 this year, allows Kaspersky to continue its services in the U.S. until then. The software is widely used in the United States, with critical infrastructure providers and state and local governments being its major clients.
There have been mounting concerns over Russian cyberattacks for years, and the US Department of Homeland banned federal agencies from using Kaspersky software in 2017.
Kaspersky, however, denied this claim, stating that this decision is based on “the present geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns” and does not consider the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services. This Moscow-headquartered company has been providing IT security solutions to millions of users and corporate clients worldwide.
The U.S. Commerce Department has reiterated that businesses or individuals continuing the use of Kaspersky products will not face any legal penalties.