Biden Bans Kaspersky Software, Gives Users 100 Days to Find Alternatives (Forbes Magazine)

[Barney T. Administrators]

Not sure how this will play out.....

 

Quote

 

President Biden has issued a ban on the sale of all Kaspersky security software in the U.S., effective immediately. The ban also extends to the use of Kaspersky software starting September 29, and it applies to consumers, government and business organizations. Critically, the ban includes security updates for existing customers.

The Department of Commerce has issued what’s called a final determination prohibiting Kaspersky and its affiliates from transactions in the U.S. This makes it illegal to sell, integrate or license any Kaspersky cybersecurity software on national security grounds.

Following a review of Kaspersky’s cybersecurity transactions and services, the Bureau of Industry and Security found that they posed “unacceptable risks to the United States' national security and the security and safety of its people.” Specifically, BIS concluded that the risk factors involved were threats posed by the Russian Federation, vulnerabilities created by Kaspersky products for national security and the impact of Russia exploiting them.

A BIS statement claims that “The manipulation of Kaspersky software, including in U.S. critical infrastructure, can cause significant risks of data theft, espionage, and system malfunction. It can also risk the country's economic security and public health, resulting in injuries or loss of life.”

 

Source: Forbes Magazine, (June 21, 2024): Article can be found:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/06/21/biden-bans-kaspersky-software-gives-users-100-days-to-find-alternative/

[neufuse Veteran]

so what are they going to do to me if I still use it?...... Biden might have banned it but it's not really a law until congress acts on it, where in the US Code does it give penalties?

[Barney T. Administrators]

On 22/06/2024 at 14:43, neufuse said:

so what are they going to do to me if I still use it?...... Biden might have banned it but it's not really a law until congress acts on it, where in the US Code does it give penalties?

I'm sure that the logic is similar to the TikTok ban initiative.

[neufuse Veteran]

On 22/06/2024 at 14:50, Barney T. said:

I'm sure that the logic is similar to the TikTok ban initiative.

They said "illegal to use after 100 days" for it to be illegal there has to be some punishment right? 

[Barney T. Administrators]

On 22/06/2024 at 15:01, neufuse said:

They said "illegal to use after 100 days" for it to be illegal there has to be some punishment right? 

Yes, but the article doesn't go into this, so I have no idea. I guess that we have to stay tuned for further developments and/or explanations.

[neufuse Veteran]

On 22/06/2024 at 15:04, Barney T. said:

Yes, but the article doesn't go into this, so I have no idea. I guess that we have to stay tuned for further developments and/or explanations.

Can't wait for the DJI ban next... there goes a major investment for me if they do that.....

[Michael Scrip]

On 22/06/2024 at 15:09, neufuse said:

Can't wait for the DJI ban next... there goes a major investment for me if they do that.....

If there's a China ban... there goes most of our products!  

😞

[xMorpheousx416]

Seems here, we have yet another example of us wanting to fill in the blanks without having the information to do so. While I could give two rips about the company's software, the sources of this information given to our govt's administration are from people to whom we do not have contact with.

Those that do security for our nation in respects to products from countries that are definitely not US friendly, have no cause to pander to the likes of tech communities and our opinions of the product. They do investigations that members of this forum have not done and cannot do.

That "ageing" app... from Russia, never used it. But it's terms of use did say that any picture you took with the app was sole property of that company to use as is, with no compensation or even notification that your face and pictures were being used.

Other Chinese companies have been either banned or no longer do business with the US for reasons... and guess what, everyone here has no pull to change any of that any time soon. I had a Xiaomi phone myself and the specs nearly rivaled that of an $800 counterpart from Samsung...can't use it or get it any more. C'est la vie.

Continue using the products or don't... I just don't see any conversation we could have that would justify why that information landed on Biden's desk but failed to be posted directly to Neowin.

[eilegz]

So much for free market,  and operating like a democracy, while we act more and more like a comunist country.  The same as huawei ban and future tiktok ban. anyways people should just use whatever they want and ignore goverment imposition

[Dick Montage]

State affiliated, closed source, OS level, data access software from a state that is known to have been associated with cyber-attacks?  I think it's totally fair to:

• Advise against it
• Not allow it in governmental/military installations

I'm not sure that banning it achieves much more than the above however.  And let's be upfront, Russia has already played the same card on US created software.

[seta-san]

It’s not like there aren’t a dozen alternatives including what comes with the os. 
 

Norton seems to be trying to capitalize on it. 

[seta-san]

On 22/06/2024 at 16:02, eilegz said:

So much for free market,  and operating like a democracy, while we act more and more like a comunist country.  The same as huawei ban and future tiktok ban. anyways people should just use whatever they want and ignore goverment imposition

TikTok? China bans TikTok. They banned all western social media. The TikTok kids will just have to deal with YouTube shorts 

[darkrats]

I don't use Kaspersky, but even after the 100 days you could still get it online. Maybe US based websites might not host it, but other out of country sites will continue to provide it. I don't understand how this will be enforced. Will they bust in your door if someone thinks you are using it? Will you go to prison? I can see them being able to remove Kaspersky from Government computers, and maybe businesses that have Government contracts. How do they plan to stop consumers from using it, if that's what they want to do?

[neufuse Veteran]

On 23/06/2024 at 13:57, darkrats said:

I don't use Kaspersky, but even after the 100 days you could still get it online. Maybe US based websites might not host it, but other out of country sites will continue to provide it. I don't understand how this will be enforced. Will they bust in your door if someone thinks you are using it? Will you go to prison? I can see them being able to remove Kaspersky from Government computers, and maybe businesses that have Government contracts. How do they plan to stop consumers from using it, if that's what they want to do?

yeah that's what I was asking before how would they even enforce this and is it even enforceable? this wasn't an act of congress its a biden exec order, US Code wasn't amended that'd would take congress