Kaspersky Will Open Its Antivirus Software For Review

Kaspersky Lab, the Moscow-based cybersecurity firm whose software is suspect because of the company’s Kremlin ties, has announced that it will open its underlying software for review. Last month the the U.S. government barred federal agencies from using Kaspersky’s antivirus products because of concerns about its ties to Russian spy operations, and to an alleged theft of cybersecurity information from the U.S. National Security Agency. Shortly after the federal ban, Best Buy and Office Depot stopped selling Kaspersky’s consumer security software. The company denies any involvement in Russian spying, and will provide the source code of its software, including updates, for independent review and assessment. “This is a red herring that doesn’t address any of the fundamental underlying concerns with Kaspersky products, most significantly, that Russian law enables the Kremlin to monitor data transmissions, including Kaspersky’s,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.