US government bans this Russian antivirus software citing security risks

The US government has banned the sale of Kaspersky antivirus software in the country citing security concerns. The ban will come into effect from next month. In addition, three units of Kaspersky will be added to a trade restriction list, which effectively bars a company's U.S. suppliers from selling to it. As per sources, the sale of white-labeled products - that integrate Kaspersky into software sold under a different brand name - will also be barred.

Imposing the ‘first of its kind’ ban, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said that the software poses national security and privacy risks due to the company's Russian origins.
“Russia has shown it has the capacity, and even more than that, the intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans. And that’s why we are compelled to take the action that we’re taking today,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.

Kaspersky will be banned from selling its softwares in the US to individual customers as well as businesses starting July 20.
Raimondo said that consumers who are already using Kaspersky's antivirus are not violating the law. Existing customers will be eligible for software and security updates till September 29, she stated.
“That means your software and services will degrade. That’s why I strongly recommend that you immediately find an alternative to Kaspersky,” Raimpondo added.
Trump administration banned Kaspersky from federal networks
In 2017, the then Trump administration banned Kaspersky’s flagship antivirus product from federal networks. It alleged ties to Russian intelligence and noted that Russian law lets intelligence agencies compel assistance from Kaspersky and intercept communications using Russian networks. Previous media reports claimed that the Russian state hackers accessed classified U.S. documents from an intelligence contractor's personal computer, allegedly due to installed Kaspersky antivirus software.