A recent Reuters report indicates that the Biden administration is planning to impose a ban on the sale of Kaspersky’s anti-virus software in the United States. The decision is driven by concerns that Kaspersky’s software is being utilized by critical infrastructure providers and state, and local governments, posing potential security risks.
According to sources familiar with the matter as reported by Neowin, the official announcement is expected to be made later this week. The US government worries that Kaspersky’s privileged access to computer systems may lead to the theft of sensitive documents or compromise cybersecurity through withheld security updates.
Restrictions on Kaspersky may include prohibitions on software updates, reselling, and licensing of products. If the ban proceeds, it will come into effect on September 29, allowing businesses and organizations time to find alternative solutions. Even products integrating Kaspersky under a different name will be affected, and companies using such products will be notified accordingly.
The decision to ban Kaspersky follows a national security investigation by the US Department of Commerce, which resulted in a back-and-forth with the Russian anti-virus software maker regarding proposed mitigation measures. Ultimately, the Department of Commerce found no proposed mitigation measures to be acceptable.