Blocked, Kaspersky Will Close Its Offices in the US

Blocked, Kaspersky Will Close Its Offices in the US

HOLIDAY NEWS - The condition of the antivirus software company Kaspersky Labs in the United States (US) market is increasingly pressing. After being banned from selling its products last month, the Russian company has now confirmed that it will close its operational activities and cut employees based in Uncle Sam's country. 

The employee cuts will affect at least 50 workers. The employment termination (PHK) process will be carried out at the end of this week. The call for a sales ban and the decision to close operating services is in line with Kaspersky's alleged links to the Russian government. 

"Starting July 20, Kaspersky will gradually phase out its operations in the United States and phase out US-based companies," a Kaspersky spokesperson said. 

This decision and process, continued the spokesperson, was carried out to follow the US Department of Commerce's decision regarding the ban on the sale and distribution of Kaspersky products in the US. 

In June, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo revealed that the Russian government's influence on Kaspersky posed a security risk for the US. Antivirus software products can access computer systems so it is feared that they can steal US government information or deliberately install malicious programs (malware). 

"Russia has demonstrated it has the capacity and intent to exploit companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize Americans' personal information," Raimondo said. The US government also prohibits Kaspersky from distributing updates to its antivirus software, such as downloading updates, or reselling and licensing the software after September 29, 2024.  

This means that after the time limit has passed, all Kaspersky antivirus services or software can no longer be used by users. 

On the same occasion, the US Treasury Department also launched a number of sanctions against all levels of executives and senior employees at Kaspersky. However, the name of Kapsersky CEO and Cofounder Eugune Kaspersky is absent from the list. 

Kaspersky doesn't plan to fight back

Kaspersky said that providing its antivirus product services does not threaten US national security. The antivirus company also emphasized that it is a private company that is not related to the Russian government. 

In fact, according to Kaspersky, the decision taken by the US government was motivated more by the geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns rather than the actual integrity of Kaspersky's products and services. 

Other claims made by the US government regarding the threat to national security of Kaspersky products were also denied. 

Diblokir, Kaspersky Akan Tutup Kantornya di AS

HOLIDAY NEWS - Kondisi perusahaan software antivirus Kaspersky Labs di pasar Amerika Serikat (AS) semakin terdesak.

Setelah dilarang menjual produknya bulan lalu, kini perusahaan asal Rusia tersebut telah mengonfirmasi bakal menutup aktivitas operasionalnya dan memangkas karyawan yang berbasis di Negeri Paman Sam.

Pemangkasan karyawan bakal memengaruhi setidaknya 50 pekerja. Proses pemutusan hubungan kerja (PHK) akan dilakukan per akhir minggu ini.

Desakan larangan penjualan dan keputusan penutupan layanan operasi sejalan dengan dugaan keterkaitan Kaspersky dengan pemerintah Rusia.

“Mulai 20 Juli, Kaspersky secara bertahap akan menyetop operasinya di Amerika Serikat dan menghapus perusahaan yang berbasis di AS," ujar seorang juru bicara Kaspersky.

Keputusan dan proses tersebut, lanjut sang juru bicara, dilakukan untuk mengikuti keputusan Departemen Perdagangan AS soal larangan penjualan dan distribusi produk Kaspersky di AS.

Pada Juni lalu, Menteri Perdagangan AS Gina Raimondo mengungkapkan pengaruh pemerintah Rusia terhadap Kaspersky menimbulkan risiko keamanan bagi AS.

Produk software antivirus dapat mengakses sistem komputer sehingga dikhawatirkan dapat mencuri informasi pemerintah AS ataupun sengaja memasang program jahat (malware).

“Rusia telah menunjukkan pihaknya memiliki kapasitas dan niat mengeksploitasi perusahaan seperti Kaspersky untuk mengumpulkan dan mempersenjatai informasi pribadi warga Amerika,” ungkap Raimondo.

Pemerintah AS juga melarang Kaspersky mendistribusikan pembaruan software antivirusnya, seperti download update, ataupun resale dan lisensi software yang bersangkutan setelah 29 September 2024.  

Artinya, setelah lewat batas waktu tadi, seluruh layanan ataupun sofware antivirus Kaspersky tidak dapat digunakan lagi oleh pengguna.

Dalam kesempatan yang sama, Departemen Keuangan AS turut meluncurkan sejumlah sanksi kepada seluruh jajaran eksekutif dan karyawan senior di Kaspersky. Namun, nama CEO dan Cofounder Kapsersky Eugune Kaspersky justru absen dari daftar.

Kaspersky tidak berencana melawan

Kaspersky mengatakan bahwa penyediaan layanan produk antivirusnya tidak mengancam keamanan nasional AS. Perusahaan antivirus itu juga menegaskan pihaknya adalah perusahaan swasta yang tidak terkait dengan pemerintah Rusia.

Justru, menurut Kaspersky, keputusan yang diambil pemerintah AS lebih dilatarbelakangi oleh iklim geopolitik dan kekhawatiran teoritis ketimbang integritas yang sebenarnya dari produk dan layanan Kaspersky. 

Klaim lain yang dilontarkan pemerintah AS soal ancaman keamanan nasional produk Kaspersky juga dibantah.