Kaspersky will shutter US operations after software is banned by Commerce Department, citing risk

NEW YORK — Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky says it’s shutting down all of its operations in the United States, just weeks after the Commerce Department banned the use of the company’s software in the country. “The company has carefully examined and evaluated the impact of the U.S. legal requirements and made this sad and difficult decision as business opportunities in the country are no longer viable.” Last month, the Commerce Department announced a ban on sales of Kaspersky software in the U.S. The government argued the company’s Russian connections pose an “undue or unacceptable risk to U.S. national security or the safety and security.” Aside from Kaspersky’s obligation to abide by Russian law, its software could be exploited to identify sensitive data of U.S. citizens and make it available to Russian government actors, the department said in a decision dated June 14. “The Department of Commerce’s action against Kaspersky Labs was taken to address a substantial threat to U.S. national security,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement to The Associated Press Tuesday — adding that the action “was not taken lightly,” as it resulted from a thorough investigation and assessment of the risks posed by the products and services the company provides. In last month’s decision, the department said it had considered Kaspersky’s objections to the initial findings of its investigation, but found that the decision to ban its software was still “well supported.” Kaspersky boasts one of the world’s most popular consumer antivirus products and a research unit widely respected for routinely exposing elite hacking groups.