PLAYING WITH FIRE?

Local Governments Still Using Russian Security Software Despite Federal Warning

GSA removed company from its list of approved vendors this month.

Numerous U.S. local and state governments are still using security software from the Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab despite the federal government’s warnings to its own agencies against buying from the company due to cyberespionage concerns, The Washington Post reported. This month, the General Services Administration, the agency in charge of federal purchasing, removed the company from its list of approved vendors, suggesting a possible vulnerability in Kaspersky that could give Moscow backdoor access to the systems it protects. The GSA, however, provided no evidence or explanation for its decision. Kaspersky has denied any coordination with the Russian government.