Despite Sanctions, Russian Organisations Acquire Microsoft Software (reuters.com)

An anonymous reader shares a report: Software produced by Microsoft has been acquired by state organizations and firms in Russia and Crimea despite sanctions barring U.S-based companies from doing business with them, official documents show. The acquisitions, registered on the Russian state procurement database, show the limitations in the way foreign governments and firms enforce the U.S. sanctions, imposed on Russia over its annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. Some of the users gave Microsoft fictitious data about their identity, people involved in the transactions told Reuters, exploiting a gap in the U.S. company's ability to keep its products out of their hands. The products in each case were sold via third parties and Reuters has no evidence that Microsoft sold products directly to entities hit by the sanctions. "Microsoft has a strong commitment to complying with legal requirements and we have been looking into this matter in recent weeks," a Microsoft representative said in an emailed response to questions from Reuters.

Comments

They dont care

[Anonymous Coward]

They dont care because the jokes on them and us. It's full of backdoors!

Isn't "You must run Microsoft" itself a sanction?

[Anonymous Coward]

Using Microsoft software sure is a punishment.

I don't get it.

[EnsilZah]

I assume Microsoft can't offer support for this software, and I very much doubt Russian authorities would crack down on the copyright infringement, so what's the point of paying for a license that holds no legal significance to anyone involved?

Re:Reddit

[hcs_$reboot]

I don't buy that kind of software, but this is quite informative!

I'm torn...

[rnturn]

Should I be worried that the Russians will get their hands on Microsoft product and learn where it's vulnerable and come up with ways to bring down the West's businesses? Or should I be comforted to know that the Russians will soon find their computing infrastructure subject to all the virii and worms that the West has to deal with?

Shooting themselves in the foot.

[Gravis Zero]

If we're being honest with ourselves, there is no better way to destroy someone's "cybersecurity" than to have them rely on Microsoft products. Frankly, anyone relying on them is asking for trouble.