The United States has banned Russia-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky from providing its popular antivirus products in the country.
The US Commerce Department in a statement disclosed that 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.
In a statement, US Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo emphasized that Russia has repeatedly demonstrated its capability and intention to utilize Russian entities, such as Kaspersky Lab, to gather and weaponize sensitive US information.
The commerce department emphasized its strong encouragement for users to transition to alternative vendors, clarifying that its decision does not prohibit the use of the software if individuals opt to continue using it.
It also stated that Kaspersky is permitted to maintain certain operations in the United States, such as issuing antivirus updates, until September 29 of this year.
The allowance according to the statement aims to mitigate disruption for US consumers and businesses, allowing them adequate time to locate suitable alternatives.
