US Bans Kaspersky Antivirus Software, Citing Russian Influence

Kaspersky could be transferring U.S. customer data into the hands of the Russian government, an agency said.

Visitors sit at the stand of Russian antivirus software development company Kaspersky Lab in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. Pau Barrena/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Commerce banned Russian company Kaspersky from selling its anti-virus software and other cybersecurity products in the country after determining that the firm posed an “undue or unacceptable risk to national security.”

“Kaspersky will generally no longer be able to, among other activities, sell its software within the United States or provide updates to software already in use,” the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said in a June 20 press release.