The US FCC says Kaspersky poses an "unacceptable" security risk, making it the first Russian firm added to the list of national threat risks.
Visitors sit at the stand of Russian antivirus software development company Kaspersky Lab on the opening day of the MWC (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona on February 28, 2022. - Organisers were hoping to return to a full-scale event after two years of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but they were forced to remove Russia's dedicated pavilion following the invasion. Some Russian companies, however, were still participating in the event
US FCC vs. Kaspersky
As per a news story by Bloomberg, the United States Federal Communication Commission included AO Kaspersky Lab to the list of national security threat companies.
The news outlet noted that Kaspersky is the first-ever Russian firm on the list, which was primarily dominated by companies based in China. Some of the notable firms on the list are Chinese tech giants, namely Huawei and ZTE.
It is worth noting that the FCC also added two new Chinese firms to the threat list, namely China Telecom and China Mobile International.
The chairwoman of the FCC, Jessica Rosen Worcel, said that its move to add the Russian cybersecurity firm, along with Chinese telecom companies, is part of strengthening "America's communications networks against national security threats."
On top of that, according to a recent report by Reuters, the commissioner of the FCC, Brendan Carr, said in a statement that the inclusion of Kaspersky "will help secure our networks from threats posed by Chinese and Russian state-backed entities."
ROME, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 24: A genaral view at Kaspersky booth during Cybertech Europe 2019, the most significant conference and exhibition of cyber technologies and cyber security in Europe. September 24, 2019 in Rome, Italy. For info visit www.kaspersky.com.
The FCC commissioner added that these "state-backed" firms from China and Russia might engage in espionage, which, in turn, could be detrimental to the security of the US.
But it is to note that the FCC announcement did not mention the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The move to list Kaspersky did not even cite the recent pronouncements of the President of the US, Joe Biden, saying that there are potential Russian cyberattacks as the country imposed sanctions in support of Ukraine.
Kaspersky's Disappointment
On the other hand, the Russian cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky, blurted out its disappointment with the latest move of the FCC.
Kaspersky said in a statement that the recent decision of the Commission was "made on political grounds" and the current geopolitical situation. The firm claimed that it is also not based on the evaluation of both its services and products.
Related Article: Kaspersky Antivirus Software as Russian Cyberattack Exploiter? Germany Suggests Replacing It
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Written by Teejay Boris
