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Trump administration orders purge of Kaspersky products from U.S. government

The offices of KGSS (Kaspersky Government Security Solutions), a subsidiary of Kaspersky Lab North America dedicated to providing cybersecurity services to the U.S. government, sit closed and empty during normal work hours in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., July 13, 2017.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Wednesday told U.S. government agencies to remove Kaspersky Lab products from their networks, saying it was concerned the Moscow-based cyber security firm was vulnerable to Kremlin influence and that using its anti-virus software could jeopardize national security.

The decision represents a sharp response to what U.S. intelligence agencies have described as a national security threat posed by Russia in cyberspace, following an election year marred by allegations that Moscow weaponized the internet in an attempt to influence its outcome.

In a statement, Kaspersky Lab rejected the allegations, as it has done repeatedly in recent months, and said its critics were misinterpreting Russian data-sharing laws that only applied to communications services.

“No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organization as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions,” the company said.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a directive to federal agencies ordering them to identify Kaspersky products on their information systems within 30 days and begin to discontinue their use within 90 days.

The order applies only to civilian government agencies and not the Pentagon, but U.S. intelligence leaders said earlier this year that Kaspersky was already generally not allowed on military networks.

In a statement accompanying its directive, DHS said it was “concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-security-kaspersky/trump-administration-orders-purge-of-kaspersky-products-from-u-s-government-idUSKCN1BO2CH