Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky has announced the closure of its US operations.
The shutdown, effective July 20th, will be a gradual process. The company will cease all US-based operations and confirmed employee layoffs, with estimates indicating fewer than 50.
“Today’s Final Determination and Entity Listing are the result of a lengthy and thorough investigation, which found that the company’s continued operations in the United States presented a national security risk—due to the Russian Government’s offensive cyber capabilities and capacity to influence or direct Kaspersky’s operations—that could not be addressed through mitigation measures short of a total prohibition,” the Bureau of Industry & Security said.
“Any individual or business that continues to use Kaspersky products and services assumes all the cybersecurity and associated risks of doing so.”
The Department of Commerce’s ban, implemented on July 20th, prohibits the sale of new Kaspersky licenses in the US.
Additionally, by September 29th, the distribution of critical security updates and malware signatures to existing customers will be halted. This effectively renders Kaspersky software inoperable in the US after that date.
