The United States has announced a ban on the sale of antivirus software from the Russian company Kaspersky, citing concerns about its alleged connections to the Kremlin. According to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Moscow's influence over Kaspersky poses a significant risk to US infrastructure and services. The decision is based on fears that Russia has the "capacity and... intent to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans."

 

Raimondo emphasized the necessity of the ban, stating, "Kaspersky will generally no longer be able to, among other activities, sell its software within the United States or provide updates to software already in use." This restriction is part of a broader set of powers, originally created by the Trump administration, that allows the US to ban or restrict transactions between American firms and technology companies from countries considered "foreign adversaries" like Russia and China.

 

The ban, which will take effect on September 29, 2024, includes prohibitions on software updates, resales, and licensing of Kaspersky products. New business transactions with Kaspersky will be restricted within 30 days of the announcement. Sellers and resellers found violating these restrictions will face fines imposed by the Commerce Department. Additionally, two Russian and one UK-based unit of Kaspersky will be listed for allegedly cooperating with Russian military intelligence.

 

Kaspersky, which has a multinational presence with offices in 31 countries and serves more than 400 million users and 270,000 corporate clients worldwide, has denied any involvement in activities that threaten US security. The company announced its intention to pursue "all legally available options" to challenge the ban.

 

The US government has scrutinized Kaspersky for several years. In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security banned Kaspersky's flagship antivirus product from federal networks, citing alleged ties to Russian intelligence. Despite these accusations, Kaspersky has maintained that it operates independently and does not engage in activities that compromise security.

 

The exact number of Kaspersky customers in the US remains classified business data. However, a Commerce Department official informed Reuters that a "significant number" of customers would be affected by the ban, including state and local governments and companies involved in telecommunications, power, and healthcare sectors.

 

This recent move by the US government highlights ongoing concerns about cybersecurity and the potential risks posed by foreign technology firms. The decision to ban Kaspersky reflects broader geopolitical tensions and the increasing measures taken by nations to safeguard their digital infrastructure from perceived threats.

 

Credit: BBC 2024-06-22

 

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The Witch Hunt is going on?

 

OK, let us use Dr. Web antivirus instead!

 

 

At the same time, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and possibly Vietnam and Laos as well as Cambodia and Myanmar may ban Windows operating system because it has possible links to CIA and FBI  intelligence with backdoors incorporated in Windows operating system. CIA and FBI may be able to spy for everyone using Windows operating system, reading all your secret files, viewing your private pictures, switching on the web camera and microphone without you ever knowing that you are being actively spied upon.

Edited June 22, 20242 yr by Hakuna Matata

1 hour ago, Hakuna Matata said:

The Witch Hunt is going on?

 

OK, let us use Dr. Web antivirus instead!

 

 

At the same time, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and possibly Vietnam and Laos as well as Cambodia and Myanmar may ban Windows operating system because it has possible links to CIA and FBI  intelligence with backdoors incorporated in Windows operating system. CIA and FBI may be able to spy for everyone using Windows operating system, reading all your secret files, viewing your private pictures, switching on the web camera and microphone without you ever knowing that you are being actively spied upon.

Where is the link to validate your claim? 

 

I thought that was a public secret for years already

I don't trust the claims from the commerce secretary, nor do I trust the claims from Kaspersky.

One problem is that there is no independent judiciary in Russia. So, even if the Russian govt suborning Kaspersky was technically in violation of the law, who would honestly referee it.

When the FBI tried to force Apple to give it the keys to unlock encryped info, Apple took its case to court. Eventually, the FBI backed down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple–FBI_encryption_dispute

Watch the YouTube video "How a CIA base works" they talk about being able to exploit encryption on messaging apps, turning on web cams, microphones, etc. I can understand exploiting Windows. When I worked for GE they had special laptops that employees took to China that was freshly wiped and configured with very limited data on it.

The sheer case of state paranoid. 

7 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

The sheer case of state paranoid. 

That would be Putin.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

That would be Putin.

I am more worried about what America is up to at the moment than Putin.

Not a surprise. It was coming for a few years.

8 minutes ago, lavender19 said:

I am more worried about what America is up to at the moment than Putin.

So you've picked a side.

The side of Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Congratulations. 

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So you've picked a side.

The side of Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Congratulations. 

Naive response based on ideological reverence for all and anything anti US ?

There was a time Kaspersky was internationally cited as  "best". But of course that was during an era when diplomatic sucky sucky was in vogue.

Best to distract attention to a common illusion than to more honestly report on US involvement in attempted but failed coups in Africa, divulge the fact that a disproportionate number of Israeli "Settlers" in the West Bank are dual passport holding US  peoples running  legitimate Arabs off  their land, etc etc. 

But of course the LGBTQXYZ  of Uganda need recognition !  FFS !

 

2 hours ago, NativeBob said:

The sheer case of state paranoid. 

 

I suspect it's the opposite, and that Kaspersky is the only one that can keep US gub'ment snoops out of our jammies. 

 

So they ban it...

 

24 minutes ago, 0ffshore360 said:

Naive response based on ideological reverence for all and anything anti US ?

There was a time Kaspersky was internationally cited as  "best". But of course that was during an era when diplomatic sucky sucky was in vogue.

Best to distract attention to a common illusion than to more honestly report on US involvement in attempted but failed coups in Africa, divulge the fact that a disproportionate number of Israeli "Settlers" in the West Bank are dual passport holding US  peoples running  legitimate Arabs off  their land, etc etc. 

But of course the LGBTQXYZ  of Uganda need recognition !  FFS !

 

Never mind what Putin is doing in Africa now.

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

One problem is that there is no independent judiciary in Russia.

Or most anywhere else   certainly not USA !!

Well, Trump claimed Supermicro servers had chinese spyware "pre-installed into its hardware" and banned it from US gov.

There are very "bright'n'smart" heads indeed 

43 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Never mind what Putin is doing in Africa now.

Not "never mind" at all ! The reality is that there need be  cognizance of reality when it come to the extremely controlled  media venues of  information, disinformation  and the bogus propaganda intertwined inside all.

That citing "alleged links" seems to be sufficient to garner attention in World News and therefore worthy of  addition to AN is more than anything else an indication of indiction.

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

That would be Putin.

 

So you picked a side, the side of the US liberals propaganda machine.

4 hours ago, J Branche said:

Watch the YouTube video "How a CIA base works" they talk about being able to exploit encryption on messaging apps, turning on web cams, microphones, etc.

 

No need CIA for that.

There are plenty of credible examples that Google - FB etc are listening while your phone is in your pocket.

For example you are discussing hotels while in a taxi or at home, next you turn on your phone and open FB or Google, and there are the ads for hotels right at the top of the page.

You think a coincidence? I don't