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Why the US government banned federal agencies from using the well-known Russian antivirus Kaspersky




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Kaspersky claims to be used as a pawn in a geopolitical game between the United States and Russia.
It is one of the five most downloaded antivirus in the world, but Kaspersky Lab is in the midst of a cold cyberwar with the United States.

The US Department of Homeland Security He ordered federal agencies Wednesday to eliminate any Kaspersky security program installed on their computers and devices before 90 days.

The reason: the alleged relations between the Moscow-based company and the Russian intelligence services that could endanger Washington's cybersecurity and its electronic systems.

The decision comes ahead of a vote by the US Senate this week to decide whether to ban the use of antivirus from the Russian company Kaspersky Lab on government computer equipment.

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"The risk that the Russian government (...) could take advantage of the access provided by Kaspersky products to put at risk federal information and information systems directly involves national security," the interim secretary of US National Security said in a statement. Elaine Duke

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End of recommendationsThe Kremlin has stated in a statement issued from the Russian embassy in New York, USA, that it seems a "regrettable" decision.

"These measures can only provoke regrets and delay the prospects of recovering bilateral ties," the statement said.

"Geopolitical problems"
The IT company, which has more than 400 million customers worldwide, responded to Washington's accusations by calling them "completely unfounded."

Through a statement issued on Wednesday, Kaspersky again denied having "unethical ties or affiliations with any government, including Russia."

Copyright of the imageREUTERS
Image caption
Eugene Kaspersky founded the company in 1997.
"Kaspersky Lab has never helped or helped any government in the world with its cybernetic espionage (...), and it is disconcerting that a private company can be considered guilty as long as it is proven innocent due to geopolitical problems," the company said.

In spite of everything, some US retailers They decided to withdraw their products from the market after the public denunciations.

A program such as the Kaspersky antivirus installed on the computers of the US executive could sabotage the computers through a malicious software update.

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"If it were controlled by a malicious cybernetic actor, due to the technology, it would have access to all the files on your computer," FTI consultant general director Anthony Ferrante told the Financial Times.

"Cyberwar" cold

The decision made this Wednesday by the US Department of Homeland Security it is only the latest chapter in Washington's growing concern about the Russian computer security company.

Copyright of the image THINKSTOCK
Image caption
An antivirus like Kaspersky could sabotage the US government's computers. through an update of malicious software or "malware".
Last July, Bloomberg published information in which it claimed to have seen emails between the company's chief executive, Eugene Kaspersky, and some of its employees, in which they described a secret cybersecurity project allegedly requested by the intelligence service. Russian.Bloomberg suggested that the tools not only diverted cyber attacks, but also captured information about the "hackers" that launched them to be shared with the Russian intelligence services.

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In the same month, the General Services Administration of the United States government removed Kaspersky Lab from a list of approved suppliers.

US relations and Russia in terms of cybersecurity have become more tense in recent years.

In January, Washington's intelligence agencies concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to influence the 2016 elections through a campaign of cyber-attacks and propaganda based on false news to favor Donald Trump in his career towards the House. Blanca