Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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.

24 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 Calydor · · Score: 2

      Yes, assuming it's true.

      What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

      --
      -=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
    2. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Innocent until proven guilty is for courts not software acquisition.

    3. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2

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

      Gee, that's what I would say about the NSA.

      Both are extremely good reasons not to use their software.

      With the NSA software . . . you do not have a choice:

      In Putinist Amerika, NSA software uses you!

      At any rate, the NSA will be happy to see them gone. One less company to worry about that will discover NSA Hanky Panky.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    4. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      I used the software for years at a law firm as a first line of mitigation for virus infection on desktops.

      It worked great.

      Then, I'd do a deep uninstall it using Revo Uninstaller because ... Russia.

      That was years ago and virus no longer presents a hazard.

      Nowadays, the bad stuff is ransomware.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    5. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      "Innocent until proven guilty" is a USA concept.

      Kaspersky is located in Russia, so they have no standing in that regard.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    6. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by manu0601 · · Score: 1

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

      Or more likely, every major internet company is infiltrated by spies working for various powers.

      I seriously doubt an antivirus company can detect new NSA malware without many government being noticed within hours.

    7. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      Most people get the choice of what av they run (if at all).

      What the American public thinks of the NSA doesn't matter we have no meaningful way to express our opinions on the matter and even if we could its unlikely most would even care.

      After all you can't fight safety people will vote for even the illusion of safety even when it can be shown it vastly to their own detriment.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    8. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      No I don't but I defiantly would not use a AV that has almost certainly been compromised by at least two nation states.

      There are at least a few dozen other antivirus programs out there that aren't all but compromised why not use one of those?

      Sure they might also be compromised but that's not the point.

      It's like saying my house is on fire but I don't want to leave because everyone else's house is probably on fire too.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    9. Re:Assuming the allegations are true. by sims+2 · · Score: 2

      Dude there are entire companies that will scan files for you without reporting them to check if any AV can detect your leet new ransomware virus. I can't imagine that the NSA wouldn't have a similar setup to see if any of their tools have been compromised.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    10. Re: Assuming the allegations are true. by guruevi · · Score: 1

      The question is why would you live in a house that is on fire when cheaper or free houses with built-in fire sprinklers exist.

      Didnâ(TM)t your mother ever ask you âoeIf everyone else jumped off the bridge, you would too?â

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    11. 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.

    12. Re: Assuming the allegations are true. by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      Sunk cost fallacy. You've already spent the money for the house and the time to move in. You would have to write that off to move into a cheaper or free house.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
  3. All stable doors are locked. Nothing to see here. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1

    They stole the election, and the presidency. Stole all the secrets from NSA.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  4. Re:Should have donated to CGI when you had the cha by Anonymous+Cashews · · Score: 1, Funny

    Just change the company name to "Kaspersky Blockchain" and watch the bitcoins roll in.

  5. Just like Trump by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Americans are getting ready to flush this turd down the bowl

  6. Re: Astonishing by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

    I can trust Open Source. I can't trust some company selling some closed source software where I have no idea what they are doing with my data.

  7. Retailwise, this whole thing is an excuse by Presence+Eternal · · Score: 1

    I work in a retail store that just pulled it, and I never heard of a single consumer complaining simply because we stocked it. I suppose there's a small chance we pulled it in order to pay obeisance to whinging douchebags who weren't even real customers, but I think there's a better explanation.

    Kaspersky was bad for profits. The biggest reason is we'd rather promote our own antivirus guarantee service, and less competition means more money. Second, people who bought Kaspersky kept bumping into Windows 10 errors that could tie up associates with trying to provide support over the phone. Finally, it simply wasn't a great seller. It was hard to sell even during the holidays when it was free after rebate. I've sold antivirus on Ebay, and even Norton antivirus basic tends to pull in three times as much money as fullblown KIS.

  8. Where not to shop... by hyades1 · · Score: 1

    "Office Depot, Staples and Best Buy have stopped selling Kaspersky's security suite in their stores."

    If you're going to any of those places expecting to get security software for your computer, you should probably just find a Warez site and post all your passwords.

    Saves problems all 'round, and gives the lowest of the low level script kiddies a reason to live.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  9. Re:Astonishing by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    Re "Why are you trusting your data to closed source software company?"
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    They helped tell the world about Stuxnet, Flame, Equation Group https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/..., Duqu
    That skill level helped internet security globally.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  10. "Single digit"? by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

    So you lost what, five sales? Six?

  11. 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.

  12. Re: Even if they did nothing wrong... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Name one anti virus that doesn't do that. I'll wait.