US bans the sale of Kaspersky software

The US Department of Commerce has banned the use and sale of Kaspersky's software. According to Minister Gina Raimondo, this is necessary because “Russia has already proven that it is willing to exploit companies like Kaspersky.” Reuters previously reported that the government was planning to ban Kaspersky software. On Thursday, the US government confirmed that the Russian company's software will be banned in the US.

“Russia has shown that it has the capacity and intention to exploit Russian companies such as Kaspersky to obtain personal information from Americans to gather. That information can be used against us and that is why we are forced to take this action,” Raimondo told reporters. The ban takes effect on September 29. This way, Kaspersky users have time to switch to other software.

In a response, Kaspersky says that it does not engage in activities that pose a threat to the security of the US. The company says it proposed to the Commerce Department to have the safety of its products verified by a third party, but that was reportedly turned down. “Kaspersky believes that the Commerce Department made its decision based on the current geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns rather than on a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky's products and services,” the company said. Furthermore, Kaspersky 'intends to consider all legally available options to maintain its current operations and relationships'.