Proactive Investors - Kaspersky, the cybersecurity firm, has denied being a security threat after the US Commerce Department banned its software due to alleged links to Russia.
Based in Moscow and with a Russian founder, Eugene Kaspersky, the US agency said: “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,” said a commerce department statement.
The statement said the decision followed a lengthy investigation that found Kaspersky’s “continued operations in the United States presented a national security risk due to the Russian government’s offensive cyber capabilities and capacity to influence or direct Kaspersky’s operations”.
Kaspersky replied that the move was based on “geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns” rather than independently verifying if there was a risk.
Best known for its antivirus products Kaspersky has also been hailed for exposing hacking groups.
The firm can continue certain operations in the US until 29 September this year, “To minimise disruption to US consumers and businesses and to give them time to find suitable alternatives”, said the Commerce Department.