The company based in Russia was previously prohibited from selling its products in the United States.
12 Kaspersky employees in executive and leadership positions were sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury due to ongoing cybersecurity risks.
This decision raised concerns about personal data stored on devices with the company’s anti-virus software potentially being accessed by Russian authorities, as stated by the commerce department.
The sanctioned individuals include four members of Kaspersky’s board of directors, such as the chief business development officer, chief legal officer, and chief operating officer. The CEO was not among those sanctioned.
“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC,” the Treasury announced.
Related Stories
“Additionally, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.”
The sanctions prohibit U.S. citizens or individuals within the United States from engaging in any transactions involving the property of the sanctioned individuals.
“Neither Kaspersky nor its management team has any connections to any government, and we view the allegations mentioned by the OFAC as mere speculation lacking concrete evidence of a threat to U.S. national security,” the company stated.
“None of the individuals listed have ties to Russian military and intelligence authorities or are involved in the Russian government’s cyber intelligence objectives.”
Brian E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, defended the sanctions against Kaspersky leadership, emphasizing the department’s dedication to upholding America’s cyber domain integrity and safeguarding citizens from “malicious cyber threats.”
“The United States will act as needed to hold accountable those who facilitate or enable such activities,” Mr. Nelson affirmed.
Kaspersky Threat
In its action against Kaspersky, the Commerce Department found that the company has the capability to install malicious software on customers’ computers or selectively block updates. This poses a potential vulnerability to American citizens and critical infrastructure from malware attacks, according to the agency’s Bureau of Industry and Security division.
Kaspersky’s software is also integrated into third-party products and services, raising concerns that users of third-party products could unknowingly introduce Kaspersky programs into their devices or networks, potentially compromising personal data, as highlighted by the bureau.
Kaspersky has implemented “significant transparency measures” to ensure the company’s credibility, claiming that its measures surpass those of its competitors in the cybersecurity industry.
The Commerce Department’s ban is deemed unjust by Kaspersky, stating, “The company will explore all legal options to maintain its current operations and partnerships.”
“Given the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a Russian IT manufacturer could engage in offensive operations, be coerced to target systems involuntarily, be subjected to cyber espionage without awareness, or be exploited as a tool for attacks against its own customers,” cautioned the German agency at that time.
Please rephrase the sentence.
Source link
