US bans Russian cyber security software amid threat of influence peddling

The Biden administration is issuing a blanket ban on the use of Russian-backed cybersecurity software in the United States because of alleged Russian government influence operations on the software, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Thursday.

Kaspersky Lab’s software has been a concern of US government officials since at least 2017. Under Russian law, their government has full access to Kaspersky’s systems and therefore has access to the data of all its customers, US officials say.

“Russia has shown that it has the ability, and even more, the intent, to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters on a call Thursday.

Raimondo said the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security was able to ban Kaspersky under its new authorities.

Kaspersky “has long raised national security concerns” and has been banned from several government systems since 2017, Raimondo said. She added that “while we explored all options available to us, we ultimately decided that given the Russian government’s offensive cyber capabilities and ability to influence Kaspersky’s operations, we must take the significant step of to a complete ban if “We will protect Americans and their personal data.”

After July 20, Kaspersky is barred from entering into new agreements within the US under the new ban. Kaspersky can offer existing customers cyber and antivirus software until September 29, but after that “Kaspersky will not be able to provide security updates.” Software services will “degrade,” the rule says.

Raimondo said he wanted to make clear that Americans and American companies who continue to use existing Kaspersky products will not be breaking the law, but will not be able to update their products starting September 30. “I would encourage you most strongly. possible terms to immediately stop using that software and switch to an alternative to protect you, your data and your family,” the commerce secretary said.

ABC News previously reported the government’s concerns about Kaspersky. Kaspersky Lab chief Eugene Kaspersky denied Russian influence over the software company at the time.

In an interview with ABC News in 2017, Kapersky called the US government’s warnings about his company “misguided” and said that “rumors about our partnership with government agencies (are) false.”