US Sanctions 12 Kaspersky Executives
The US has imposed sanctions on 12 individuals who have leadership roles at Kaspersky in Russia and the UK.
The post US Sanctions 12 Kaspersky Executives appeared first on SecurityWeek.
The US has imposed sanctions on 12 individuals who have leadership roles at Kaspersky in Russia and the UK.
The post US Sanctions 12 Kaspersky Executives appeared first on SecurityWeek.
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Long simmering suspicions about the loyalty of Kaspersky Software, a cybersecurity firm headquartered in Russia, came to a head this week after the U.S. government banned the sale of the company’s software, effective July 20th, to both companies and individual consumers. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department has placed sanctions on 12 senior leaders of..
The post U.S. Bans Sale of Kaspersky Cybersecurity Software appeared first on Security Boulevard.
"Kaspersky provides industry-leading products and services to customers around the world to protect them from all types of cyber threats, and has repeatedly demonstrated its independence from any government." - Kaspersky LabThe antivirus company claimed it has also implemented significant transparency measures that demonstrate its commitment to integrity and trustworthiness. But "the Department of Commerce’s decision unfairly ignores the evidence," Kaspersky said. The company said it also proposed a system in which the security of Kaspersky products could have been independently verified by a trusted third party.
"Kaspersky believes that the Department of Commerce made its decision based on the present geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns, rather than on a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services."However, Brian Nelson, Treasury’s Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated, “Today’s action against the leadership of Kaspersky Lab underscores our commitment to ensure the integrity of our cyber domain and to protect our citizens against malicious cyber threats. The U.S. will take action where necessary to hold accountable those who would seek to facilitate or otherwise enable these activities.”
The US government will ban the sale of Kaspersky antivirus products to new customers in the United States starting July 20, with a follow-on deadline to prohibit the cybersecurity company from providing users with software updates after September 29.
The move follows years of allegations that the cybersecurity firm served as a hacking conduit for Russian intelligence agencies—allegations that the company has consistently denied.
While current US Kaspersky customers will see no immediate impact from the ban, the September 29 software update deadline signals a bigger change. Without available updates, any cybersecurity product becomes less secure over time, and means the company won’t be able to protect customers against the newest threats.
In a briefing call with reporters on Thursday, US Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo offered consolation and advice to current customers of the antivirus products:
“You have done nothing wrong, and you are not subject to any criminal or civil penalties. However, I would encourage you, in as strong as possible terms, to immediately stop using that software and switch to an alternative in order to protect yourself and your data and your family.”
Kaspersky rebuffed the Biden Administration’s decision in a statement shared on social media Thursday.
“Kaspersky does not engage in activities which threaten US national security and, in fact, has made significant contributions with its reporting and protection from a variety of threat actors that targeted US interested and allies,” the company said. “The company intends to purse all legally available options to preserve its current operations and relationships.”
The ban, first reported by Reuters and released Thursday, includes “AO Kaspersky Lab,” “OOO Kaspersky Group,” and “Kaspersky Labs Limited.”
According to the US Department of Commerce, all three Kaspersky entities are being banned “for their cooperation with Russian military and intelligence authorities in support of the Russian government’s cyber intelligence objectives.”
In October 2017, The New York Times reported that Israeli intelligence officers managed to catch Russian government hackers using Kaspersky to conduct clandestine searches across the globe. That reporting followed a bombshell investigation from The Wall Street Journal that claimed that Russian hackers stole classified NSA materials from a contractor’s personal computer which had Kaspersky software installed on it.
That reported hacking incident allegedly resulted in the US government’s decision that same year to remove Kaspersky antivirus software from US government devices.
In the same Thursday briefing call, Secretary Raimondo cited the threat of Russian influence in the Department’s decision to ban Kaspersky:
“Russia has shown it has the capacity and… the intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans and that is why we are compelled to take the action that we are taking today.”
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The US government announced a ban on the sale of Kaspersky software over fears that the company is controlled by the Russian government.
The post US Bans Kaspersky Software appeared first on SecurityWeek.
Enlarge (credit: Kaspersky Lab)
The Biden administration will ban all sales of Kaspersky antivirus software in the US starting in July, according to reporting from Reuters and a filing from the US Department of Commerce (PDF).
The US believes that security software made by Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab represents a national security risk and that the Russian government could use Kaspersky's software to install malware, block other security updates, and "collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans," said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
“When you think about national security, you may think about guns and tanks and missiles,” said Raimondo during a press briefing, as reported by Wired. “But the truth is, increasingly, it's about technology, and it's about dual-use technology, and it's about data.”
“The impact of the discovered vulnerabilities is alarmingly diverse. To begin with, attackers can sell stolen biometric data on the dark web, subjecting affected individuals to increased risks of deepfake and sophisticated social engineering attacks. Furthermore, the ability to alter the database weaponizes the original purpose of the access control devices, potentially granting access to restricted areas for nefarious actors. Lastly, some vulnerabilities enable the placement of a backdoor to covertly infiltrate other enterprise networks, facilitating the development of sophisticated attacks, including cyberespionage or sabotage. All these factors underscore the urgency of patching these vulnerabilities and thoroughly auditing the device's security settings for those using the devices in corporate areas.”