Russia-based Kaspersky Shuts Down Antivirus Sales, Downsizes Operations after US Ban

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russian cybersecurity and antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab has announced that it will end its contract sales of antivirus software and cybersecurity products in the United States by July 20, in conformity with a final determination by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"Starting from July 20, 2024, Kaspersky will gradually wind down its US operations and eliminate US-based positions," the company said in a statement on Monday, July 22.

Starting September 30, 2024, Kaspersky will be prohibited from providing antivirus signature updates and codebase updates to U.S. consumers and businesses. Until then, the company will continue to fulfill its obligations under all existing contracts.

The company said it is fully committed to transparency and providing high-quality protection against all types of threats. In order to address the concerns of the U.S. authorities, the company has proposed a comprehensive evaluation framework that will include verification of its solutions, database updates and threat detection rules by an independent, trusted reviewer.

Kaspersky Lab believes that the U.S. Department of Commerce's decision is based on the geopolitical climate rather than an evaluation of the integrity of the company's solutions, and deprives U.S. users and businesses of the best protection available.

Kaspersky Lab's informational or educational products and services, such as Kaspersky Threat Intelligence and Kaspersky Cybersecurity Training, as well as Kaspersky Lab's consulting or advisory services will continue to be available in the U.S. market.

The company said it will continue to support its customers and partners around the world with leading cybersecurity solutions and is committed to delivering world-class cybersecurity technologies that have been recognized for their excellence through numerous independent awards and third-party audits. 

Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. To date, the company has more than 220,000 corporate customers.

ERWIN PRIMA

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