Ars: Kaspersky software banned from US government agencies

[Virginiá]

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/09/kaspersky-software-banned-from-us-government-agencies/

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I'm just surprised this didn't happen sooner. I do think Kaspersky's anti-virus products are pretty advanced, but they are still created by a Russian company who no doubt has ties to their govt, and with Kaspersky's huge platform on hundreds of millions of PCs worldwide, that is an unacceptable risk.

Whether or not they are actively providing Russia with access right now, Russia simply can't be trusted not to abuse their access if the stakes were high enough.

[ProudModerate2]

Oh wow !
I was considering going to Kaspersky for my PC, but not anymore.
This is going to affect their sales/profits, not only in the US, but across the globe (our allies in Europe, Japan, etc).

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Can we ban anyone from the Trump Organization next? They look at least as guilty.

[Tender Branson]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

[Santander]

I intentionally use Kaspersky to feel connected to my owner Mr. Putin. You have nothing to fear if you have the correct opinions.

[Virginiá]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

[Tender Branson]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

To the US and some others in the West maybe ...

But Russia and Putin have excellent ties to Austria and its politicians. So, while it probably makes sense for Americans to get rid of Kaspersky, it probably does not for Austrians. On the other hand, US products like Norton might also spy on Austrians and Russians ... I'd actually buy an Austrian anti-virus product if there were any good. But even then you are not safe: It's common knowledge that Austria is being spied on by the US and Russians and others since WW2.

[ProudModerate2]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

To the US and some others in the West maybe ...

But Russia and Putin have excellent ties to Austria and its politicians. So, while it probably makes sense for Americans to get rid of Kaspersky, it probably does not for Austrians. On the other hand, US products like Norton might also spy on Austrians and Russians ... I'd actually buy an Austrian anti-virus product if there were any good. But even then you are not safe: It's common knowledge that Austria is being spied on by the US and Russians and others since WW2.

Just remember who was on the right side of saving/helping your people from the horrors of Nazism (WWII) and the aggression of Russia during the Cold War years.

[Virginiá]

So, while it probably makes sense for Americans to get rid of Kaspersky, it probably does not for Austrians. On the other hand, US products like Norton might also spy on Austrians and Russians ...

Norton AntiVirus (or rather all Symantec malware products) is only marginally more used than Kaspersky, and it is much more regional. It barely registers in Russian internet traffic, whereas Kaspersky actually pulls in more traffic from America than it does Russia. (per Alexa)

I get what you're saying, but your comparison isn't relevant at all. Kaspersky is much more of a risk than Norton is.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I've avoided Kaspersky for years, not because I was worried about the Russian government but because I was worried about Russian gangsters.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

If you're going to avoid security software based on nation of origin, I'd stay away from US software as well. The NSA has probably compromised them all, either via paying them off or old fahioned hacking.

[Cashew]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

To the US and some others in the West maybe ...

But Russia and Putin have excellent ties to Austria and its politicians. So, while it probably makes sense for Americans to get rid of Kaspersky, it probably does not for Austrians. On the other hand, US products like Norton might also spy on Austrians and Russians ... I'd actually buy an Austrian anti-virus product if there were any good. But even then you are not safe: It's common knowledge that Austria is being spied on by the US and Russians and others since WW2.

Just remember who was on the right side of saving/helping your people from the horrors of Nazism (WWII) and the aggression of Russia during the Cold War years.

That's a terrible way of getting your point across, the Soviet Union suffered far more casualties( although many of them unnecessary), and had there been no landings on Europe then they would have eventually clawed their way to Normandy themselves. By 1942 Germany had already lost.

[Virginiá]

If you're going to avoid security software based on nation of origin, I'd stay away from US software as well. The NSA has probably compromised them all, either via paying them off or old fahioned hacking.

It's possible, although I don't recall the Snowden leaks showing such things. They didn't really need to do that. The NSA is already essentially embedded in domestic and foreign ISPs, and can insert its code anywhere along the way it wants (this was confirmed). Combined with a slew of zero day exploits, they don't really have any need to risk the reputation of American security software providers. Although social media companies are a whole different story..

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Rumor is that they did this because they were plugging NSA backdoors.

[Virginiá]

Rumor is that they did this because they were plugging NSA backdoors.

Every security company "plugs" backdoors software vulnerabilities they find. Same with the developers of the products that the vulnerabilities originate from. If the NSA blacklisted products based on this very normal behavior, the US government would have nothing left to use.

[ProudModerate2]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

To the US and some others in the West maybe ...

But Russia and Putin have excellent ties to Austria and its politicians. So, while it probably makes sense for Americans to get rid of Kaspersky, it probably does not for Austrians. On the other hand, US products like Norton might also spy on Austrians and Russians ... I'd actually buy an Austrian anti-virus product if there were any good. But even then you are not safe: It's common knowledge that Austria is being spied on by the US and Russians and others since WW2.

Just remember who was on the right side of saving/helping your people from the horrors of Nazism (WWII) and the aggression of Russia during the Cold War years.

That's a terrible way of getting your point across, the Soviet Union suffered far more casualties( although many of them unnecessary), and had there been no landings on Europe then they would have eventually clawed their way to Normandy themselves. By 1942 Germany had already lost.

Maybe my comment wasn't the greatest in "getting my point across," but your WWII history is a little off.

The Soviet Union did suffer the most overall deaths of any country in WWII. But I feel no sympathy for the decisions their own leaders made that initiated much of their own destruction (and the deaths of many other people across Europe). First of all, the Soviets were initially "buddies" with the Nazis. They had an agreement (secret treaty) to simultaneously attack Poland, and then they split Poland in two, each given their own half to annex/govern. While they "governed" over Poland, they committed atrocities in this country.

The Soviet Union (a Soviet secret police organization) is well known as the killers of 22,000 Polish military personnel, police officers, and other Polish officials. The various executions were spread out over a number of mass graves and is known in the history books as The Katyn Massacre. When the graves were dug up, many of the bodies were found with a single gun shot to the back of the neck. So the Soviets had their victims kneel near these massive graves and were shot and then their body would fall into the hole. Shooting someone in the back of the neck (instead of the head) would allow the body to slowly die, thus the victim would suffer in extreme pain over time.

Later, the Nazis turned on their "buddies" and killed many, many Soviet soldiers and Soviet citizens. When the Nazis first invaded the Soviet "Empire" they overran the portion of Poland the Soviets controlled, and the Germans found and documented the deaths of about 32,000 to 34,000 Polish citizens. Per Wikipedia : The Soviets left thousands of corpses piled up in prison yards, corridors, cells, basements, and NKVD torture chambers, as discovered by the advancing Germans in June–July 1941.

Also, you say "by 1942 Germany had already lost." That is not true. The Turning Point in the European theatre of WWII did happen after the German defeat in Stalingrad in Feb 1943 (not 1942). But in no way would I describe Germany as "already losing the war" after Stalingrad. It took another 2 + years of heavy fighting, until Germany was finally defeated.

Summary : The Soviets "made their own bed" and slept with the Devil.

[Cashew]

Kaspersky is very popular in Austria. I use it myself (for years already) and it's very good.

That's why it is such a shame, imo. It is very good software, but from a security perspective, their company's status in Russia presents a big problem. I get that there are always risks with any host country, but Russia is particularly lawless and has been quite aggressive towards the west for a long time now.

To the US and some others in the West maybe ...

But Russia and Putin have excellent ties to Austria and its politicians. So, while it probably makes sense for Americans to get rid of Kaspersky, it probably does not for Austrians. On the other hand, US products like Norton might also spy on Austrians and Russians ... I'd actually buy an Austrian anti-virus product if there were any good. But even then you are not safe: It's common knowledge that Austria is being spied on by the US and Russians and others since WW2.

Just remember who was on the right side of saving/helping your people from the horrors of Nazism (WWII) and the aggression of Russia during the Cold War years.

That's a terrible way of getting your point across, the Soviet Union suffered far more casualties( although many of them unnecessary), and had there been no landings on Europe then they would have eventually clawed their way to Normandy themselves. By 1942 Germany had already lost.

Maybe my comment wasn't the greatest in "getting my point across," but your WWII history is a little off.

The Soviet Union did suffer the most overall deaths of any country in WWII. But I feel no sympathy for the decisions their own leaders made that initiated much of their own destruction (and the deaths of many other people across Europe). First of all, the Soviets were initially "buddies" with the Nazis. They had an agreement (secret treaty) to simultaneously attack Poland, and then they split Poland in two, each given their own half to annex/govern. While they "governed" over Poland, they committed atrocities in this country.

The Soviet Union (a Soviet secret police organization) is well known as the killers of 22,000 Polish military personnel, police officers, and other Polish officials. The various executions were spread out over a number of mass graves and is known in the history books as The Katyn Massacre. When the graves were dug up, many of the bodies were found with a single gun shot to the back of the neck. So the Soviets had their victims kneel near these massive graves and were shot and then their body would fall into the hole. Shooting someone in the back of the neck (instead of the head) would allow the body to slowly die, thus the victim would suffer in extreme pain over time.

Later, the Nazis turned on their "buddies" and killed many, many Soviet soldiers and Soviet citizens. When the Nazis first invaded the Soviet "Empire" they overran the portion of Poland the Soviets controlled, and the Germans found and documented the deaths of about 32,000 to 34,000 Polish citizens. Per Wikipedia : The Soviets left thousands of corpses piled up in prison yards, corridors, cells, basements, and NKVD torture chambers, as discovered by the advancing Germans in June–July 1941.

Summary : The Soviets "made their own bed" and slept with the Devil.

The Soviets were very much willing to fight in 1938, the problem being access from Poland, and fear of being left out to dry by the western powers. Remember that the motive for appeasement was often not any pacifistic sentiment, but rather the desire to see Germany and Russia bleed each other white. Stalin, being the paranoid man that he was saw Munich as proof that Hitler was a battering ram against Russia, and endeavored to force the west to bear the brunt of the fighting, and his gamble would have paid off massively has France not fallen so quickly.

Poland is not blameless either, they may have been justified in not wanting soviet troops in their country, but they did participate in seizing Czech land at Munich and flirted with Germany on several occasions. At the end of the day it was genocidal intentions that doomed any hope of an alliance between the two.

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I should have rephrased that to inevitable, obviously they weren't defeated by that point, but once they failed to score a quick victory it was nearly impossible to salvage the situation.

Summary: The German-soviet alliance was never intended to be permanent, it was just a way to buy time until Stalin could backstab Hitler.