Kaspersky, a prominent Russian cybersecurity company, suggested an independent source code review as a way to address concerns raised by the US government before the ban. The company aimed to show that its software was free from any influence by the Kremlin and to allay national security fears. Kaspersky’s proposal involved subjecting its program source code to evaluation by an independent third party, as reported by TechRadar.
The company believed that this comprehensive assessment framework could effectively address most of the supply chain concerns related to its product development and distribution in a verifiable manner. Despite its efforts, the proposal was ultimately rejected by the US Department of Commerce.
In an attempt to regain access to the US market, which constitutes a significant portion of its global revenue, Kaspersky hoped to prove its innocence and reliability by 2023. The company also suggested a similar review framework for the European Union, demonstrating its commitment to transparency and neutrality.
In its proposal, Kaspersky included measures such as auditing local data processing and ensuring that data processed in the US would be stored only within the country and free from customers’ personal information. Additionally, the company committed to closely monitoring the security of its threat database to ensure it was free from any suspicious activity.
Although the US rejected its proposal, Kaspersky remains committed to proving its transparency and reliability amid the escalating tensions between the two leading countries.