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GSA removes Kaspersky Labs from its approved vendors list

The General Services Administration (GSA) has removed Kaspersky Labs from its list of approved vendors over fears the Russian-owned cybersecurity company represents an undue risk to U.S. interests.

A GSA spokesman told Politico the move was made to “ensure the integrity and security of U.S. government systems and networks.” Federal agencies can still buy and use Kaspersky products that are not part of a GSA contract and the GSA's move is a leading indicator that the Trump administration is not in favor of using Kaspersky products.

This follows a move made by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on June 29 that saw its annual defense spending bill containing a provision prohibiting the Department of Defense from using any products from Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab.

“Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts. The company has a 20 year history in the IT security industry of always abiding by the highest ethical business practices and trustworthy development of technologies, and Kaspersky Lab believes it is completely unacceptable that the company is being unjustly accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations," Kaspersky Labs said in a statement to SC Media.

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