The U.S. government announced Wednesday that it will no longer use products from a popular Russian cyber security company due to security concerns.
Kaspersky Lab was removed from a list of pre-approved vendors after the General Services Administration conducted a review of its potential risks to U.S. networks.
“GSA’s priorities are to ensure the integrity and security of U.S. government systems and networks and evaluate products and services available on our contracts using supply chain risk management processes,” a GSA spokesperson said in a statement.
Kaspersky Lab’s products were also banned from NASA’s Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) vehicle.
“NASA has collaborated and coordinated with [the Office of Management and Budget], GSA and other government agencies on removal of Kaspersky Lab products from the SEWP contracts,” NASA SEWP program manager Joanne Woytek told the Business of Federal Technology.
The company’s products were also removed from GSA’s photographic equipment and related supplies and services schedule 67.
An article published by Bloomberg Tuesday alleged that Kaspersky Lab has ties to the FSB, Russia’s domestic security services. Kaspersky Lab was supposedly involved in developing technology for the security service, according to the article.
Kaspersky Lab has vehemently denied any improper dealings with government intelligence agencies in a statement, noting that it only works with governments to stop cyber crimes. The company told The Daily Caller News Foundation that it was being “unjustly accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations.” It added that it was “caught up in the middle of a geopolitical fight where each side is attemtping to use the company as a pawn in their geopolitical game.”
The administration’s decision comes after six top intelligence officials told the Senate Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in May that they would not be comfortable using Kaspersky Lab products on their computers. National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers claimed at the time that he was “personally involved” in monitoring Kaspersky Lab, but did not elaborate. Defense Intelligence Agency Director Vincent Stewart claimed his agency was “tracking Kaspersky and their software.”
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