The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added Russian cybersecurity company and anti-virus provider Kaspersky to the list of companies “deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.” This was the first time a Russian company had been added to The Secure Networks Act list comprised only of China-based technology and telecom companies before the Kaspersky addition.
The move by the FCC bars Kaspersky from receiving federal subsidies.
This is not the first time the Federal Government has pushed back on Kaspersky. In 2017, the US removed Kaspersky from the approved list of anti-virus manufacturers that could be used on US Government computers or networks. The US Dept. of Homeland Security said, “This action is based on the information security risks presented by the use of Kaspersky products on federal information systems,” and issued a directive to remove all Kaspersky products within 90 days. The FCC said its decision to add Kaspersky to the banned list was motivated by the actions and response in 2017.
Kaspersky responded with a statement that reads, in part, “Kaspersky is disappointed with the decision by the Federal Communications Commission. This decision is not based on any technical assessment of Kaspersky products — that the company continuously advocates for — but instead is being made on political grounds.”
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