Russian anti-virus publisher Kaspersky Lab was placed on Friday, March 25 “blacklist” Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. telecommunications regulator (FCC).This is the first time a Russian company has been included in the list of companies considered “Endangering national security”consisting almost entirely of Chinese companies.
The U.S. government cannot buy products or services sold by companies on this list.The agency did not give a specific reason for its decision, which it claimed was aimed at “Strengthening U.S. Communications Networks in the Face of National Security Threats”and just days after U.S. President Joe Biden warned U.S. companies of the high risk of Russian cyberattacks.
distrust of Europe
Kaspersky is a well-known antivirus software provider with over 400 million users worldwide.The company said “Disappointed” The FCC’s decision found it to be based on “The current geopolitical climate” rather than in “Detailed security assessment of Kaspersky products and services”. The United States has taken steps to ban the use of the company’s products in certain government departments, citing at the time “Unacceptable risk” Related to the obligation of all Russian companies to cooperate with the internal intelligence agency FSB.Kaspersky denied all ‘Inappropriate contact with the government’.
Some European regulators or security services have also fanned distrust of Russian companies since the invasion of Ukraine began. In mid-March, Germany’s cybersecurity service encouraged companies using Kaspersky products to replace their antivirus software.As for the Italian privacy agency, it has opened an investigation “potential risks” raised by its software and specifically seeks to understand whether the data of European customers is “Transfer outside the EU (e.g. Russian Federation)”.