The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

Do you trust Kaspersky Lab?

  • Yes

    Votes: 78 78.8%
  • No

    Votes: 21 21.2%

  • Total voters
    99
  • Poll closed .
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Venustus

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Source: Opinion | The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security
The Kremlin hacked our presidential election, is waging a cyberwar against our NATO allies and is probing opportunities to use similar tactics against democracies worldwide. Why then are federal agencies, local and state governments and millions of Americans unwittingly inviting this threat into their cyber networks and secure spaces?

That threat is posed by antivirus and security software products created by Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based company with extensive ties to Russian intelligence. To close this alarming national security vulnerability, I am advancing bipartisan legislation to prohibit the federal government from using Kaspersky Lab software.

Kaspersky Lab insists that it has “no inappropriate ties with any government.” The company’s products, which are readily available at big-box American retailers, have more than 400 million users around the globe. And it provides security services to major government agencies, including the Department of State, the National Institutes of Health and, reportedly, the Department of Defense.

But at a public hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee in May, six top intelligence officials, including the heads of the F.B.I., C.I.A. and National Security Agency, were asked if they would be comfortable with Kaspersky Lab software on their agencies’ computers. Each answered with an unequivocal no. I cannot disclose the classified assessments that prompted the intelligence chiefs’ response. But it is unacceptable to ignore questions about Kaspersky Lab because the answers are shielded in classified materials. Fortunately, there is ample publicly available information to help Americans understand the reasons Congress has serious doubts about the company.

No comment from me, but the scaremongering is continuing!!!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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Fritz

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I seriously doubt Kaspersky has any interest to get involved into politics. We're talking about a commercial company and their main target is increasing revenue, which is usually done best via stable trade relations to as many countries as possible.

Of course, they might be pressured by the Russian government into acting against their will, but I think Eugene would have packed his bags and moved elsewhere. Yet considering the fact that American agencies are officially known to command non-disclosure measures we should be afraid of those before worrying about what might be the case in Russia. And so far I can't see the masses drop Norton and TrendMicro in a hysteric frenzy.
 
P

plat1098

Well since this is part of a much larger US/Russia conflict, it's understandable that US government agencies, even big business might want to reconsider, especially in this climate. But for average consumer, spell it out. Telling a loyal K user "don't use that" without providing concrete info and evidence isn't totally convincing. And there's the impasse.
 

RoboMan

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This reminds me of some days ago when i recommended Kaspersky products on a security group and everybody started moaning at me: "why do you recommend software that spies you and stores your data", "i would not trust a company that is constantly spying on you". Instead, they'd say: "it's better to use Windows Defender".

The good old pal Windows Defender, son of a small company who never stores data or spies his users, and never ever tied to any government.
 
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NikolayfromRussia

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This reminds me of some days ago when i recommended Kaspersky products on a security group and everybody started moaning at me: "why do you recommend software that spies you and stores your data", "i would trust a company that is constantly spying on you". Instead, they'd say: "it's better to use Windows Defender".

The good old pal Windows Defender, son of a small company who never stores data or spies his users, and never ever tied to any government.

Kaspersky is very good and famous antivirus. I don't know if Kaspersky spies and stores the data to share with Putin :) I think all antivirus products can gather information and send to their servers but I don't care about it. I use a Norton Security now that is a US product. I have a two year license and happy with it.
 
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RoboMan

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Kaspersky is very good antivirus and famous antivirus. I don't know if Kaspersky spies and stores the data to shares with Putin :) I think all antivirus products can gather information and send to their servers but I don't care about it. I use a Norton Security now that is a US product. I have a two year license and happy with it.
I don't care either, but people are so paranoid about it. I mean, welcome to 2017, privacy is a myth.
 

Transhumana

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Well, at least with Norton you know that they upload anything they want. Makes for peace of mind and you never have to do backups manually, just ask Norton for a copy if push comes to shove. :p

You misunderstood; that's the part of their anti-ransomware protection, just in case if your files ever get encrypted. :giggle:They just don't talk much about that component. :geek:
 

bribon77

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Understanding that the US does not want any foreign program. for reasons of national security .... But it is not to be transferred to the Common Users. but I do not think NASA or the Pentagon or the White House, ever used Kaspersky
 
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ispx

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stevethetester

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just another example of USA paranoia and their current drive on protectionism; lets trash and/or smear the old enemy country so people in the good old US of A don't see what is going on in their own back yard. Are we really expected to believe that the American government doesn't get help or have assistance from USA antivirus software companies? Or is it because they have already managed (or even been provided with) to gain a back door to these companies software but not Kaspersky's? I have personally used (and indeed tested) several software solutions over the years and am currently using Kaspersky Total Security 2018 which I find to be excellent and have absolutely no reservation in continuing to do so.
 

tim one

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The antivirus companies have a particularly delicate role, because their software can access all the files on computers, sending feedback to the their company: if there were a collusion between one of them and a spy agency, the latter "could" be inserted into the computer systems of the company's customers, exploiting what should theoretically be the safest and most secure channel, so without the intrusion ever being detected.

This gives rise to American concerns, but they do not have solid evidence to support them.

Personally I think these are ineffective statements that leave the time they find....
 

mlnevese

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As I said in other threads about this topic, if Kaspersky, Norton, Bitdefender, whatever brand you care to mention, decided to actively spy on their users it would be discovered... There are literally thousands of real experts out there who analyze every software you may imagine and who know they would be famous if they could prove any of the big security names are involved in something like this.

Yet there is no evidence about this happening. None at all... About any brand of your choice.

This is simply political propaganda.
 

hamo

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Arequire

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The US government is right to ban the use of Kaspersky throughout its departments. That said it shouldn't just apply to Kaspersky though; any foreign AV software where potentially classified data can be transmitted outside of the US without a department's knowledge or permission should probably be banned. Say what you want about Russia but it wasn't so long ago that the US was at war with two of its biggest allies.

As for my opinion on Kaspersky being trustworthy or not: Until there's evidence to prove otherwise I see absolutely no reason to distrust Kaspersky.
 
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