The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has written to government departments that they should avoid Kaspersky software on systems that are critical to the national security of the country.
The campaign against the Russian state was given more fuel on Friday by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) after it wrote to all government departments warning against the use of Kaspersky’s anti-virus software claiming that it could be exploited by the Russian Government and therefore comprise the UK’s national security. It’s important to stress that the NCSC’s advice only pertains to systems which are vital to national security while stopping short of extending its recommendation to businesses and the general public.
Elements inside the United States previously warned against the use of Kaspersky Labs software, accusing it of being used by the Russian state for espionage, a claim that the company has denied. While Kaspersky anti-virus is used by many people, businesses, and organisations, the latest advice from the National Cyber Security Centre is only aimed at those running the software on systems vital to national security.
The claims, which many may find dubious, are simply based on a risk-analysis by the NCSC, rather than being based on evidence that espionage has already taken place via Kaspersky software. Ian Levy, the NCSC’s technical director, said:
Eugene Kaspersky has claimed that his company’s software is not complicit in Russian spying and says that there is no truth to the claim. He also indicated that if the Russian state requested his company to hand over data that he would relocate his business to another country.
Source: BBC News
