Kaspersky’s Proactive Audit Offer Rejected by U.S. Amid Ban
The prominent Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky proactively proposed a third-party source code audit before its ban in the United States, as reported by The Register. This strategic move aimed to unequivocally demonstrate that the Kremlin lacked access to Kaspersky’s proprietary software, thereby alleviating U.S. national security apprehensions. Kaspersky contended that such a comprehensive evaluation framework could effectively and verifiably mitigate the majority of supply chain risks inherent in product development and distribution. However, the U.S. Department of Commerce declined this proposal.
Notwithstanding this setback, Kaspersky remains steadfast in its commitment to proving its operational integrity and regaining access to the lucrative U.S. market, which constituted a significant portion of its global revenue in 2023. In a further demonstration of its commitment to transparency and neutrality, Kaspersky has extended a similar evaluation framework proposal to the European Union (EU).
Kaspersky’s comprehensive proposal encompasses meticulous scrutiny of local data processing protocols, ensuring that data processed within the U.S. remains exclusively within its borders and does not contain any personally identifiable information (PII) of its clientele. Furthermore, their extensive threat database would be subject to rigorous and continuous monitoring to guarantee its security and the absence of any anomalous activity.
Despite the U.S. rejection, Kaspersky perseveres in its endeavors to substantiate its transparency and trustworthiness amidst escalating geopolitical tensions between the two nations.
