Kaspersky to Wind Down U.S. Operations Following Software Ban

The cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has announced that it will be shutting down all of its operations in the United States starting July 20. This decision comes in response to a recent ban by the Commerce Department on the use of Kaspersky software in the country.

Kaspersky, based in Moscow, stated that it will be “gradually winding down” its U.S. operations and eliminating positions based in the country. The company cited the impact of U.S. legal requirements as the reason for this decision, stating that business opportunities in the country are no longer viable.

The Commerce Department imposed the ban on Kaspersky software last month, citing concerns about the company’s Russian connections posing a risk to U.S. national security. The government argued that the software could be exploited to access sensitive data of U.S. citizens and make it available to Russian government actors.

Kaspersky has denied being a security threat and argued that the government’s decision was based on geopolitical concerns rather than verified risks. The company emphasized that it cannot deliberately obtain sensitive data on Americans and that its operations in Russia only have access to aggregate or statistical data.

Despite the shutdown of its U.S. operations, Kaspersky stated that its business remains resilient and that its priority of protecting customers from cyberthreats remains unchanged. The company is known for its popular consumer antivirus products and its research unit, which has exposed elite hacking groups in the past.

Journalist Kim Zetter first reported the news of Kaspersky’s decision to shut down its U.S. operations, highlighting the impact of the Commerce Department’s ban on the cybersecurity firm.