But its business wsa badly hit by the US ban, which came into effect at a time when the company's software was installed on hundreds of millions of computers worldwide. Kaspersky has always rejected accusations that it works with the Kremlin. The United States banned government agencies from using Kaspersky software as early as 2017. "A Russian IT manufacturer can itself carry out offensive operations, can be forced to attack target systems against its will, or be itself spied on as a victim of a cyber operation without its knowledge, or be misused as a tool for attacks against its own customers," the agency warned.Ĭompanies and operators of critical infrastructure are particularly vulnerable but individuals could also be hit, the BSI said, inviting anyone in doubt to contact it for advice. Russia's military and intelligence activities in Ukraine, and its threats to EU and NATO allies, particularly Germany, mean there is "a considerable risk of a successful IT attack", the Federal Cyber Security Authority (BSI) said in a statement.
Alex Plavevski, EPA-EFEīERLIN - German cyber security agency BSI on Tuesday urged consumers not to use anti-virus software made by Russia's Kaspersky, warning the firm could be implicated in hacking assaults amid Russia's war in Ukraine. A man uses his mobile phone in the shopping mall in Shanghai, China, 05 January 2022.