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Kaspersky CEO Says Hack Claims Cutting US Cyber Security Sales (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the repercussion dept.

Eugene Kaspersky told news agency Reuters on Friday that his cyber security firm that bears his name would see a 'single digit' drop in U.S. sales this year as a result of suspicions about his company's ties to the Russian government, but global revenue should still increase. From a report: By turns frustrated and defiant in an 80-minute interview in his Moscow office, the founder and head of the embattled antivirus software maker denounced what he called an "information war" against his company, repeatedly asserting that "we've done nothing wrong." Anton Shingarev, Kaspersky Lab's vice president of public affairs, also told Reuters during the interview the company had abandoned efforts to sell its services to the U.S. government and that it would wind down its Washington-area subsidiary, KGSS. Kaspersky Lab has become a lightning rod in recent months as it has faced allegations by the U.S. government that its antivirus products can be used by Russian spies to conduct cyber espionage. Office Depot, Staples and Best Buy have stopped selling Kaspersky's security suite in their stores.

5 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Should have donated to CGI when you had the chance by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Here's how Kaspersky could get out of this:

    1) change name to "Uranium Two"
    2) donate to the Clinton Global Initiative
    3) ??? (impeach Trump?)
    4) profit!

  2. Assuming the allegations are true. by sims+2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The company is either corrupt (complicit in the hacking) or incompetent (unable to protect their own stuff).

    Both are extremely good reasons not to use their software.

    --
    Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    1. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Innocent until proven guilty is for courts not software acquisition.

    2. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Assuming you're a gullable idiot and no one likes you because you're funny looking, you're a gullable idiot and no one likes you because you're funny looking. Can't argue with that logic, sport. But maybe we can do better by actually having, you know, a fucking thought in our heads.

      The accusation that Kaspersky antivirus software is a spy vector for Russian intelligence, and that Israeli hackers infitrated this vector, is entirely bullshit, on it's face, and any one that knows machines running a Microsoft OS knows from even any surface or pedestrian support level will immediately recognize this claim as absolute bullshit, as in made-up for some as yet unidentified reason.

      The proof is that this alleged software spy-vector is unnecessary and overly complicated and a weak choice, to do any such thing is that the host machine is running a Microsoft OS. There are God-knows unlimited security vectors already even if you believe you are vigilent running a different anti-virus software, beyond the OS itself, including every other available anti-virus software, as well as all the other software, their installers, anything available anywhere on the Internet, and ultimately anything that uses any Microsoft OS Windows.

      The hidden reason behind the well-placed and overly aggressively promoted bullshit may just be, beyond it appearing almost obviously it must be the case, that because Kaspersky was among the top reasearch groups to unravel all the known state-level malware shit, like Stuxnet, and that Kaspersky is a theat to future and current state-level software spy vectors.

      Get Kaspersky software while you can. We at least know spys and liars don't trust their anti-virus software. Russia at the state level, I bet, doesn't even understand the accusations. Experts don't see the proof, just a specious claim that supersecret info the Israelies shared with Americans is suddenly headline news. That's not a secret. That's bullshit.

      How's that bullshit taste today? You seem to have gorged on it.

      Again. Have a fucking thought in your head, or don't post... ever.

  3. Harm reduction by TheMeuge · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Considering that independent testing has generally placed them at or near the top of world antivirus companies and their software does so without being slow or intrusive, I think it may actually be safer to place your trust in them, being a US citizen, than to trust the American companies that are beholden to the NSA and the like. Frankly, there is nothing useful that Russia can gain from a backdoor to my computer. On the other hand, I fully expect NSA to be compiling list of undesirable persons based on race, religion, desire for digital security and privacy, software used, and most importantly - political affiliations. They are not going to make a mistake again at the next presidential election and let it actually proceed unmolested domestically. Next time the appropriate winner will be assured.