The Australian government has banned all Kaspersky Lab products and web services from its systems, saying they pose a serious security risk.
Stephanie Foster, Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, said the decision was made after a risk analysis found that using Kaspersky software could lead to foreign interference, espionage, or sabotage. She also said this ban sends a strong message to critical infrastructure providers and other governments in Australia about the risks linked to Kaspersky.
As part of the new directive, all government agencies covered under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 must remove any existing Kaspersky products, prevent any future installations, and report their compliance to the Department of Home Affairs. There is an exemption for cases where Kaspersky products are needed for national security, law enforcement, or regulatory purposes.
Kaspersky has denied the allegations and called the ban unfair and politically motivated. A spokesperson from the company said there is no evidence to support the claims and that the Australian government did not allow any discussion before making its decision. Mai Al Akkad, Kaspersky’s Corporate Communications Manager, said the company has always pushed for a proper technical review of its software but believes this ban is based purely on geopolitical reasons.
