The German Office for Information Security (BSI) has alerted companies and users to stop using kaspersky antivirus. German authorities have warned of the risk to businesses and critical infrastructure operators from a cyberattack from Russia.
According to the BSI, an antivirus has extended system permissions and maintains a permanent connection to the manufacturer’s servers. The cybersecurity office indicates that if there are doubts about the reliability of the manufacturer, antivirus presents a particular risk for the protection of an IT infrastructure.
The BSI suggests that a Russian computer manufacturer – such as Kaspersky – could carry out a cyberattack or be coerced into attacking systems against their will. The Russia link has raised red flags at the federal agency, which believes the antivirus could be used as a tool to attack its own customers.
Authorities have asked German companies that use Kaspersky to replace it with another similar security software. The BSI mentions that Russia’s threats against the European Union, NATO and Germany due to the war in Ukraine could lead to a successful cyberattack.
One of the first to distance itself from Kaspersky is Eintracht Frankfurt, which plays in the Bundesliga. Team president Axel Hellmann has announced the immediate cancellation of a sponsorship deal.
Eintracht Frankfurt assured that they had always based the relationship on facts and not on nationalities, however, trust in Kaspersky was lost after the announcement by the security agency.
Kaspersky tries to remain neutral in the war
Although Kaspersky has tried to remain neutral, the security company facing the same future as other Russian companies.
A few days ago, Eugene Kaspersky posted on Twitter that war is not good for anyone. The founder of the cybersecurity company is committed to providing uninterrupted service of its products worldwide.
We support the opening of negotiations to resolve the current situation in Ukraine and hope that they will lead to a cessation of hostilities and a compromise. We believe that peaceful dialogue is the only possible instrument to resolve conflicts.
Eugene Kaspersky (Twitter)
Following the announcement of the German Information Security Office, the company denied having ties to the Kremlin. “Kaspersky is a private, global cybersecurity company and, as a private company, has no connection with the Russian government or anyone else,” its spokesperson said.
For technology, the decision of the BSI is based on political and not technical reasons. “We will continue to assure our partners and customers of the quality and integrity of our products, and will work with BSI to clarify their decision and ways to address their concerns and those of other regulators,” he said. declared.
Cybersecurity agencies ask to assess Russian software
The warning from the German authorities has been replicated in other countries. The Italian National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) has recommended considering the security implications when using Russian-origin software.
The Federal Office has recommended a urgent risk analysis and adoption of mitigation measures against a possible attack. “Information security technologies are of particular importance due to the high level of invasion of the systems on which they operate,” he said.
The ban in Germany and other countries represents a major blow for Kaspersky, although it is not the first. In June 2018, the European Parliament viewed their products as malicious and called for his removal from all teams.
The European Union followed in the footsteps of the United States and Britain and asked its member states to uninstall Kaspersky antivirus. Security agencies have warned of the risk of classified information leaking if they continue to use the Russian software.
