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Kaspersky Antivirus Banned by the US Government


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The United States government has decided to ban software developed by Russian company Kaspersky Lab due to possible ties to Kremlin and collaboration with local intelligence services.

The General Services Administration has confirmed for AFP that Kaspersky is no longer an approved software vendor, which basically means that state departments and federal agencies in the United States are not allowed to buy software from the Russian security vendor.

The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company's links to intelligence services in Moscow.

 

The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products.

 

"GSA's priorities are to ensure the integrity and security of US government systems and networks and evaluate products and services available on our contracts using supply chain risk management processes," the agency said in a statement.

Kaspersky denied all the accusations, explaining in a statement on its website that the company does not have what it described as “inappropriate” ties with any government, adding that it only works with agencies to fight cybercrime.

Bloomberg claimed to have obtained internal company emails that served as evidence of a “much closer working relationship” between Kaspersky and FSB, but the security firm says the communication was “misinterpreted or manipulated.”

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They are not actually  banned they was limited ..The Government ban paying for Kaspersky with the taxpapers money for ITs to install. . if a U.S official wants to pay for it themselves and install  it they can.

 

 

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Kaspersky products have been removed from the U.S. General Services Administration's list of vendors for contracts that cover information technology services and digital photographic equipment, an agency spokeswoman said in a statement.

 

The action was taken "after review and careful consideration," the spokeswoman said, adding that GSA's priorities "are to ensure the integrity and security of U.S. government systems and networks."

 

Government agencies will still be able to use Kaspersky products purchased separate from the GSA contract process.

 

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-kasperskylab-idUSKBN19W2W2
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2 hours ago, steven36 said:

 

They are not actually  banned they was limited ..The Government ban paying for Kaspersky with the taxpapers money for ITs to install. . if a U.S official wants to pay for it themselves and install  it they can.

 

 

2 hours ago, steven36 said:

Government agencies will still be able to use Kaspersky products purchased separate from the GSA contract process.

 

Not true.  I don't know where these people get their information but that definitely isn't true unless the person using the software is looking to being fired and possibly  jailed.  Not only can't you buy it, you cannot install it on any government owned computer or any computer connected to a government network.

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24 minutes ago, straycat19 said:

Not true.  I don't know where these people get their information but that definitely isn't true unless the person using the software is looking to being fired and possibly  jailed.  Not only can't you buy it, you cannot install it on any government owned computer or any computer connected to a government network.

Please provide a reference.  Thanks and Regards. 

 

"... While it won’t prevent the government from buying Kaspersky software entirely, purchases would have to be separate from the GSA contract process..."

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52 minutes ago, straycat19 said:

 

 

Not true.  I don't know where these people get their information but that definitely isn't true unless the person using the software is looking to being fired and possibly  jailed.  Not only can't you buy it, you cannot install it on any government owned computer or any computer connected to a government network.

You need too show proof that they will fire them if they use something not on the GSA list before you start ranting off too me because it was a spokeswomen from the government  that told the press said that.  Are  you saying the Government lied in a press statement? Some software vendors like Oracle left  the GSA on it's own does this mean they can't use  there products? nooooo.

 

 

Oracle to leave GSA schedule: A signal of broader change?

https://federalnewsradio.com/reporters-notebook-jason-miller/2016/09/oracle-leave-gsa-schedule-signal-broader-change/

Oracle told the government too shove it were the sun don't shine that they didn't need them and there chump change..  To someone like MR.Kaspersky who only makes millions  a year  may be a lot too lose a few Government contracts but too Oracle losing a billion a year is just pocket change too them   .. :P

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Kaspersky flings fake news spray over “fictional” tales

 

 

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Kaspersky Lab co-founder and CEO, Eugene Kaspersky, has delivered a spray against “fake news” worthy of one of US President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging Twitter rants.

Citing a Bloomberg article published on 11 July entitled ‘Kaspersky Lab Has Been Working With Russian Intelligence’, Kaspersky said, “here, folks, we have: lies, with a sprinkling of manipulated information based on misconstrued facts to serve an agenda”.

 

The comments, delivered via Kaspersky’s blog, come as the United States government reportedly decided to remove the Russia-headquartered Kaspersky Lab from two lists of approved vendors employed by government agencies to procure IT equipment.

 

While Kaspersky Lab itself has claimed it is being used as a “pawn” in a geopolitical game between the US and Russia, according to Reuters, Kaspersky himself is focusing on rebutting recent media reports.

 

Responding specifically to claims in the Bloomberg article that Kaskersky Lab has a much closer relationship with Russia’s FSB state intelligence agency than it lets on publicly, Kaspersky reiterated that the company is not involved with the Russian government.

 

“We don’t have ties to any government – ties suggest we are conducting inappropriate activities or operations when that is clearly not the case,” Kaspersky said. “We work with cyber-police-forces, which is verifiably and exhaustively documented in publicly available sources.

 

“We provide technical expertise on cyberattacks – anything else which may go into the possible meaning of the word ‘intelligence’ remains strictly outside the bounds of our professional capacity as cybersecurity experts,” he said.

 

Kaspersky goes on to refute no fewer than nine assertions made by Bloomberg reporters, Jordan Robertson and Michael Riley, which he claims are inaccurate or false.

 

“Almost every sentence in the article contains a lie, fake evidence, erroneous interpretations, unsupported assertions or endless technical ignorance,” he said.

 

Although Kasperksy has taken to his blog to challenge a single article by just one media outlet, he is clearly working to take on the much broader narrative that the cyber security company could reportedly be vulnerable to “Russian government influence”.

 

This is no doubt a compelling argument to a country and a government that is staring down the barrel of an investigation into whether Russia played a cyber-hand in the outcome of its presidential election in 2016.

 

For Kaspersky, however, the ball is in the US government’s court, with the cybersecurity chief revealing in early July that the company which bears his name was willing to hand over its source code to US authorities in a bid to put to rest continued agitation from some government quarters.

 

“What I can do is continue to protect businesses, governments and people from cyberthreats, and I truly hope the US government will take me up on my offer to audit our source code, meet with me to answer any questions they may have or any other steps needed to convince them we have no malicious intentions,” he said.

 

 

https://www.reseller.co.nz/article/621765/kaspersky-flings-fake-news-spray-over-fictional-tales/

 

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knowledge-Spammer

its all sad .  i am happy to have Kasperksy on are side

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Russia Concerns Negatively Impact GSA Schedule Contractors

 

 

There is no shortage of news these days involving Russia. You would think that U.S. government contracting would be immune from these considerations. You’d be wrong. That’s because on July 11 2017, the Government removed Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab products from the General Services Administration’s Schedule Program. Kaspersky provided products through resellers which held GSA Schedule 67 and 70 contracts for photographic equipment and related services, and IT services. As a company based in Moscow, Kaspersky came under scrutiny from the Government and was removed from the schedules “to ensure the integrity and security of U.S. government systems and networks” according to a GSA statement cited by Reuters.

 

According to the Government’s System for Award Management (SAM), Kaspersky remains an active contractor and has not been suspended or proposed for debarment. Accordingly, agencies can still purchase Kaspersky products but not from Kaspersky’s previously held schedule contracts. Curiously, GSA Advantage still shows Kaspersky products available through GSA schedule contracts through resellers. Many of these resellers are small businesses with different socioeconomic statuses.

 

 

There are a few lessons from this developing situation:

  • This is a stark reminder that GSA schedule contracts are a privilege, not a right. GSA retains broad authority to remove contractors from its schedules. This authority is not absolute, however. Contractors that might find themselves in a situation like Kaspersky should evaluate whether the Government has acted according to its regulations and should assert and pursue claims if the Government has failed to provide the contractor with appropriate due process
  • Contractors should evaluate how current events can impact their contracts. Kaspersky, according to Reuters, asserts that it is “caught in the middle of a geopolitical fight where each side is attempting to use the company as a pawn in their political game.” The Government’s action concerning Kaspersky should cause contractors with ties to Russia to evaluate their own situations. If that evaluation reveals any situations that might give an agency concern, they should consider engaging in a proactive dialogue with their agency customers to address those concerns.
  • Last, but certainly not least, is the reminder that GSA schedule contractors are required to abide by the Trade Agreements Act (TAA). The TAA requires contractors to provide either U.S.-made or designated country end products. Designated countries typically include those countries with which the United States has negotiated trade agreements. Russia is not a designated country for TAA purposes.

 

 

http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/russia-concerns-negatively-impact-gsa-70004/
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