Image source, Getty Images
- Author, Joao da Silva
- Role, Business reporter
Kaspersky said it had made the “sad and difficult decision” to leave “as the business opportunities in the country are no longer viable”.
That’s because Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said last month that Moscow’s influence over the company posed a significant risk to U.S. infrastructure and services.
Kaspersky, which has been active in the US for 20 years, denies the allegations.
“Starting July 20, 2024, Kaspersky will gradually wind down its US operations and eliminate its US positions,” the company said in a statement.
The US website has already stopped selling antivirus and cybersecurity tools, saying the software is not available to US customers.
The announcement came after the sale and distribution of Kaspersky products was banned in the US.
Ms Raimondo said the US was forced to take action because of Russia’s “capacity and intent to collect and weaponise Americans’ personal information”.
“Among other things, Kaspersky will no longer be able to sell its software within the United States or provide updates for software already in use,” the Commerce Department said.
The ruling uses the Trump administration’s broad powers to ban or restrict transactions between U.S. companies and technology companies from “foreign hostile” countries such as Russia and China.
As of September 29, downloads of software updates, resale and licensing of the products were prohibited. New business was prohibited within 30 days of the announcement.
Sellers and resellers who violate the restrictions face fines from the Department of Commerce.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, the Moscow-based multinational company has offices in 31 countries worldwide and serves more than 400 million users and 270,000 corporate clients in more than 200 countries.
Kaspersky said at the time that it planned to use “all legally available options” to combat the ban and denied that it was involved in any activity that posed a threat to US security.