Australia bans Kaspersky software over national security concerns, citing risks of foreign interference, espionage, and sabotage of government networks.
Australian Government banned products and services provided by Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky over national security concerns.
The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs has issued a mandatory directive under the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) to manage security risks to the government.
“This Direction requires Australian Government entities to prevent the installation of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and web services from all Australian Government systems and devices, and where found, to remove all existing instances.” reads the Direction 002-2025 issued by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs.
The Australian government has ordered to remove Kaspersky Lab products and services from all government systems by April 1, 2025, citing security risks related to foreign interference, espionage, and data exposure. Entities must also prevent the installation of Kaspersky software, reporting completion to the Department of Home Affairs.
“After considering threat and risk analysis, I have determined that the use of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and web services by Australian Government entities poses an unacceptable security risk to Australian Government, networks and data, arising from threats of foreign interference, espionage and sabotage.” reads the directive.
“I have also considered the important need for a strong policy signal to critical infrastructure and other Australian governments regarding the unacceptable security risk associated with the use of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and web services. Entities must manage the risks arising from Kaspersky Lab, Inc.’s extensive collection of user data and exposure of that data to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law. By 1 April 2025, all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must:
- Identify and remove all existing instances of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and web services on all Australian Government systems and devices.
- Prevent the installation of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and web services on all Australian Government systems and devices.
- Report completion of above requirements to the Department of Home Affairs’ Commonwealth Security Policy Branch at PSPF@homeaffairs.qov.au.”
In June 2024, the Biden administration announced the ban on the sale of Kaspersky antivirus software due to the risks posed by Russia to U.S. national security. The U.S. government implemented a new rule leveraging the powers established during the Trump administration to ban the sale of Kaspersky software, citing national security risks posed by Russia.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security banned the Russian cybersecurity firm because it is based in Russia.
Government experts believe that the influence of the Kremlin over the company poses a significant risk, reported Reuters. Russia-linked actors can abuse the software’s privileged access to a computer system to steal sensitive information from American computers or spread malware, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a briefing call with reporters on Thursday.
“Russia has shown it has the capacity and… the intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans and that is why we are compelled to take the action that we are taking today,” Raimondo said on the call.
This isn’t the first time that Western governments have banned Kaspersky, but the Russian firm has always denied any link with the Russian government.
In March 2022, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added multiple Kaspersky products and services to its Covered List saying that they pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security.
The Covered List, published by Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, included products and services that could pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.
In March 2022, the German Federal Office for Information Security agency, aka BSI, also recommended consumers uninstall Kaspersky anti-virus software. The Agency warns the cybersecurity firm could be implicated in hacking attacks during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to §7 BSI law, the BSI warns against using Kaspersky Antivirus and recommends replacing it asap with defense solutions from other vendors.
The alert pointed out that antivirus software operates with high privileges on machines and if compromised could allow an attacker to take over them. BSI remarks that the trust in the reliability and self-protection of a manufacturer as well as his authentic ability to act is crucial for the safe use of any defense software. The doubts about the reliability of the manufacturer, lead the agency in considering the antivirus protection offered by the vendor risky for the IT infrastructure that uses it.
BSI warns of potential offensive cyber operations that can be conducted with the support of a Russian IT manufacturer, it also explains that the vendor could be forced to conduct attacks or be exploited for espionage purposes without its knowledge.
The United States banned government agencies from using Kaspersky defense solutions in 2017, the company rejected any allegation and also clarified that Russian policies and laws are applied to telecoms and ISPs, not security firms like Kaspersky.
In June 2018, the European Parliament passed a resolution that classifies the security firm’s software as “malicious” due to the alleged link of the company with Russian intelligence.
Some European states, including the UK, the Netherlands, and Lithuania also excluded the software of the Russian firm on sensitive systems.
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