U.S. Sanctions Kaspersky Executives Over Cybersecurity Risks

The measures are focused on the possibility of Kaspersky being exploited by the Russian government for cyber-attacks or endangering U.S. national security.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on a dozen senior leaders at Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, intending to protect internet users from potential threats. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) enforced these measures under Executive Order 14024, focusing on the Russian tech sector.

The personal sanctions come after a full ban on the company Kaspersky by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Starting July 20, Kaspersky will be restricted from offering its products to American consumers and enterprises. The ongoing concerns are focused on the possibility of Kaspersky being exploited by the Russian government for cyber-attacks or endangering U.S. national security.

Sanctions Target Kaspersky Leadership

Sanctioned individuals include Andrei Anatolyevich Efremov, who handles business development, and Igor Gennadyevich Chekunov, the legal chief. Others on the list are Marina Mikhaylovna Alekseev, head of HR, and Denis Vladimirovich Zenkin, who leads communications, along with CTO Anton Mikhaylovich Ivanov and CFO Andrei Gennadyevich Tikhonov. Also affected are strategy and economics deputy CEO Daniil Sergeyevich Borshchev, and future technologies director Andrey Petrovich Dukhvalov.

The sanctioned individuals’ U.S. assets have been frozen, limiting their access until the sanctions are removed.  he firm’s founder and CEO, Eugene Kaspersky, was not included in the sanctions, with no official comment provided by the Treasury or Kaspersky representatives.

The sanctions prevent these executives from starting new companies in the U.S. and bar American firms from engaging with them financially. This move is part of a broader attempt to mitigate cybersecurity risks, highlighted by the prohibition on Kaspersky software sales in the U.S., starting July 20. Existing users will receive updates until September 29, after which the software could become vulnerable.

In addition, the Department of Commerce has added AO Kaspersky Lab, OOO Kaspersky Group (Russia), and Kaspersky Labs Limited (UK) to the Entity List, preventing U.S. businesses from engaging with these entities.

Kaspersky Denies Allegations

Kaspersky stated that the company intends to contest the recent ban, assuring “the current step will not affect the company’s resilience“. The company says in a press release:

“We regard the move as unjustified and baseless, being a continuation of recent U.S. government decisions based on the present geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns, rather than on a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of company’s products and operations. Neither Kaspersky nor its management team has any ties to any government, and we consider the allegations quoted by the OFAC as pure speculation, which lacks concrete evidence of a threat posed to the US national security. None of the listed members have any ties to the Russian military and intelligence authorities or have anything to do with the Russian government’s cyber intelligence objectives.”

Kaspersky has been under U.S. scrutiny before. In 2017, the Trump administration banned Kaspersky products in federal agencies over national security issues. Earlier that year, Russian hackers allegedly used Kaspersky’s antivirus software to steal classified documents from an intelligence contractor in the U.S.

Last Updated on November 7, 2024 3:50 pm CET

Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus has been covering the tech industry for more than 15 years. He is holding a Master´s degree in International Economics and is the founder and managing editor of Winbuzzer.com.

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