Kaspersky shuts down all US operations after ban
Following the recent US ban on the sale of all Kaspersky products, the Moscow-based cybersecurity and antivirus The provider has announced that it is permanently closing its US office and laying off employees.
Russia’s initial intervention and subsequent invasion of Ukraine strained an already strained relationship and increased American suspicions about the use of Kaspersky software.
The ban will go into effect on July 20, 2024, when Kaspersky begins its phase-out process (via Zero Day).
Kaspersky leaves the US
In 2017, Kaspersky faced its first restrictions after the Department of Homeland Security banned Kaspersky software from use in all government departments and agencies, which was followed in 2018 by a ban on all U.S. military systems. U.S. officials often cite Kaspersky’s Russian roots and worry that the Kremlin could force the company to provide access to Kaspersky activities.
In response to the ban, Kaspersky initially said it would challenge the ban in court, but this latest revelation seems to indicate that Kaspersky has accepted its fate. In a statement, it said: “The company has carefully examined and evaluated the impact of the US regulatory requirements and has made this sad and difficult decision, as business opportunities in the country are no longer viable.”
Kaspersky has repeatedly denied that the Russian government has any influence or power over the company. In a call with reporters, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said, “Given the Russian government’s continued offensive cyber capabilities and ability to influence Kaspersky’s activities … we must take the important step of a full ban if we are to protect Americans and their personal data.”
“When Americans integrate software from companies owned or controlled by countries of concern — like Russia, like China — into their systems… those countries can use their authority over those companies to abuse that software to access and potentially misuse sensitive U.S. technology and data,” Raimondo concluded.
Kaspersky confirmed that the withdrawal from the US market would affect “fewer than 50 employees in the US”. However, a report from the company last year suggested that the US market represents “just under 10%” of total revenue, and that Kaspersky software “protects more than a million employees in the US”. end points“in the U.S.
The Commerce Department has placed Kaspersky on its trade restrictions list, banning U.S. companies from doing business with the Moscow-based company.