Trump Orders Removal of Kaspersky Products from Federal Systems

President Trump instructed all federal departments and agencies to purge Kaspersky Lab products and services from their information systems, marking the latest blow to the Russian cybersecurity company.

Trump issued his order citing concerns that the Kremlin could influence Kaspersky Lab, according to a Reuters report. Within the next 30 days, all federal agencies are required to identify Kaspersky products and services on their systems, and within 90 days remove these products and services and discontinue their future use, according to a statement from the US Department of Homeland Security. Kaspersky will have a chance to respond in writing to the Department of Homeland Security's concerns.

"The Department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks," the Department of Homeland Security stated. "The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security."

Kaspersky will have a chance to respond in writing to the Department of Homeland Security's concerns. The company, in a statement, says: "Kaspersky Lab has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyber efforts, and it's disconcerting that a private company can be considered guilty until proven innocent, due to geopolitical issues. The company looks forward to working with DHS, as Kaspersky Lab ardently believes a deeper examination of the company will substantiate that these allegations are without merit."

Read more about Kaspersky and the Department of Homeland Security here.