Eugene Kaspersky — the head and the main owner of “Kaspersky Lab” — the readiness to respond to the US Congress on allegations about the safety of products of the company. Committee on science, space and technology of the house of representatives of the United States Congress has scheduled hearings on this topic on September 27. TASS explains what claims the Americans are bringing the Virus, why institutions in the US refuse products of the Russian company and what is the Russian position on this issue.
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What the United States suspect “Kaspersky Lab”?
In the implementation of cyber espionage in favor of the Russian intelligence services. 1 March 2016 American online publication The Washington Free Beacon reported that the intelligence Department of the Ministry of defense (DIA) of the USA has warned of a major U.S. industrial companies from the purchase of “Kaspersky Lab”. According to the newspaper, military intelligence proceeded from the fact that with such “hackers working for the Russian government, unable to penetrate the control network industry in the United States.”
Direct accusations against the “Kaspersky Lab” until the spring of 2017 were not voiced. Experts of the company have been attracted to the study of the causes and circumstances of the leaks that occurred in the USA during the presidential campaign of 2016. American capital 2014, a subsidiary of Kaspersky Government Security Solutions, Inc. (KGSS), whose tasks include the development and delivery of solutions for the U.S. government and companies performing government contracts.
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What Washington leads the proof?
Yet — no. May 11, 2017 at a hearing of the special Committee of the Senate of the U.S. Congress on intelligence the Director of DIA, Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart stated that the U.S. intelligence community monitors the activities of the “Kaspersky Lab”. But any evidence or charges against the Russian company was not nominated.
So far all we know about the so-called cyber espionage on the part of “Kaspersky Lab” — is evidence of the American media. According to NBC, in late June, agents of the Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI) visited at least ten employees residing in the United States. However the FBI assured that have no claims to the employees of the antivirus company and was just trying to figure out what information it can pass to Russia. As claimed by the TV channel, American officials believe that the virus “has close ties with some representatives of the Russian intelligence”.
11 July 2017, the Agency Bloomberg with reference to corporate communication “Kaspersky Lab” from 2009 announced that the company is “on the large request from Lubyanka” worked on a secret project together with the Russian FSB. This news only aggravated the suspicions of the U.S. lawmakers that the company is engaged in cyber espionage.
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That said “Kaspersky Lab”?
Company representatives confirmed the authenticity of the correspondence, adding that “Kaspersky Lab” and its leadership do not have improper relations with any authorities, and the company regularly works with law enforcement agencies worldwide to combat cybercrime.
In addition, the head of the company Eugene Kaspersky, in an interview with the Associated Press (AP) said that the company is ready to provide the us authorities to study the source code it was developing programs to allay possible suspicion in the US regarding its activities. This statement passed in the United States undetected.
Kaspersky also admitted that the authorities of some countries, but not Russia, trying to push him to engage in hacking activities. The latter he called the “dark side”, stressing that it has consistently rejected such proposals and I would never have done anything like this in the future. “We remain on the light side, — said Kaspersky. And never, never go to the dark side”.
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What were the consequences?
12 July 2017 the administration of the trump exclude “Kaspersky Lab” of the two lists of suppliers whose products might be purchased for use by state agencies. According to the Agency, the decision was made “after careful consideration”. It was noted that government agencies will still be able to use the products “Kaspersky Lab”, if the procurement will be done through the administration of shared services.
The Ministry of internal security of the United States on 13 September issued a statement, which called on the us government institutions to abandon the products “Kaspersky Lab”. According to the Agency, the state must within 30 days to determine which company’s products are used in offices, and within 60 days develop a plan to remove them. The reason the Ministry specifies the information security risks.
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What about this say the Russian officials?
Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that the decision of the US authorities via the “Kaspersky Lab” politicized: “It is as a whole casts a shadow, perhaps, for the image of our American colleagues as a reliable partner, because, of course, such actions are in the plane that is unfair competition, in the plane of the violations of all international trading rules, of course, they are aimed at undermining the competitive position on the world stage of Russian companies, in this case, “Kaspersky Lab”. This causes our regret.”
The Chairman of the Duma Committee on information policy, information technologies and communications Leonid Levin called the incident with Kaspersky “new sanctions” and “nothing short of eliminating a highly competitive company under the political pretext”.
The Russian Embassy in Washington said that the reduction of the diplomatic missions, the persecution of RT and Sputnik, as well as measures taken against “Kaspersky Lab” are links of one chain and manifestations of Russophobia. “Such moves cannot cause anything but deep regret,” — reads the statement of the Embassy.
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Kaspersky has already testified to the US authorities?
Yet. In an interview with AP Kaspersky said that several times offered to meet with U.S. officials and to discuss any issues regarding the technology of his company. However, in the US, he was in no hurry, citing “damaged relations” between Moscow and Washington.
Thursday, September 14, it became known that Kaspersky was invited to Congress to testify about the reliability of products. The head of the Russian company agreed and promised to appear before the Committee on science, space and technology, house of representatives, if you get a visa. Hearings on the case of “Kaspersky Lab” scheduled for September 27 this year.
