Other regulatory powers stop short of allowing the government to block private sector use of software made by the company based in Moscow, long seen by US officials as a serious threat to national security. The probe shows the administration is digging deep into its toolkit to hit Moscow with even its most obscure authorities in a bid to protect US citizens and corporations from Russian cyber attacks. US regulators have already banned federal government use of Kaspersky software and could ultimately force the company to take measures to reduce risks posed by its products or prohibit Americans from using them altogether. US tech retailer Best Buy confirmed earlier Wednesday that it would no longer sell Kaspersky products, but has declined to give further details on the decision.Ukraine refugees: UN map shows total nears 5.9 millionĪccess to the networks of federal contractors and operators of critical US infrastructure, such as power grids, are considered particularly concerning, the three people said. Read more: Facebook, Russia and the US elections - what you need to knowĭHS said in a statement that it was 'concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies,' as well as Russian laws that might compel Kaspersky to hand over information to the government.īut the makers of the popular anti-virus software have said 'no credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organization as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions.' The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Wednesday it was concerned that the cybersecurity firm was susceptible to pressure from Moscow and thus a potential threat to national security. The administration of US President Donald Trump has ordered government agencies to remove products made by Russian company Kaspersky Labs from their computers.

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