The U.S. government has announced a ban on the sale of Kaspersky antivirus software, citing security risks associated with the company’s Russian origins.
The Commerce Department declared that Kaspersky’s base in Russia poses a national security and privacy threat, leading to the prohibition.
Starting July 20, 2024, Kaspersky will no longer be allowed to sell its products to U.S. consumers and businesses. However, current users of the software will be able to receive updates until September 29, 2024.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has urged users to switch to alternative antivirus solutions to ensure their security.
The ban will be communicated to consumers by the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department.
Additionally, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will assist critical infrastructure organizations in transitioning away from Kaspersky’s products.
This decision builds on previous actions against Kaspersky, including a 2017 ban on federal agencies using the software.
The move is part of ongoing U.S. efforts to mitigate risks associated with technology companies linked to Russia. Kaspersky currently serves over 400 million individual customers and 240,000 corporate clients worldwide.
