Kaspersky Lab Has Been Working With Russian Intelligence

[Jimbo101]

Slashdot

Bloomberg

Internal company emails obtained by Bloomberg Businessweek show that Kaspersky Lab has maintained a much closer working relationship with Russia's main intelligence agency, the FSB, than it has publicly admitted. It has developed security technology at the spy agency's behest and worked on joint projects the CEO knew would be embarrassing if made public. The previously unreported emails, from October 2009, are from a thread between Eugene Kaspersky and senior staff. In Russian, Kaspersky outlines a project undertaken in secret a year earlier "per a big request on the Lubyanka side," a reference to the FSB offices. Kaspersky Lab confirmed the emails are authentic.

The software that the CEO was referring to had the stated purpose of protecting clients, including the Russian government, from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, but its scope went further. Kaspersky Lab would also cooperate with internet hosting companies to locate bad actors and block their attacks, while assisting with "active countermeasures," a capability so sensitive that Kaspersky advised his staff to keep it secret. In this case, Kaspersky may have been referring to something even more rare in the security world. A person familiar with the company's anti-DDoS system says it's made up of two parts.

The first consists of traditional defensive techniques, including rerouting malicious traffic to servers that can harmlessly absorb it. The second part is more unusual: Kaspersky provides the FSB with real-time intelligence on the hackers' location and sends experts to accompany the FSB and Russian police when they conduct raids. That's what Kaspersky was referring to in the emails, says the person familiar with the system. They weren't just hacking the hackers; they were banging down the doors.

Kaspersky Lab has issued a statement in response to Bloomberg's report. It reads in part: "Regardless of how the facts are misconstrued to fit in with a hypothetical, false theory, Kaspersky Lab, and its executives, do not have inappropriate ties with any government. The company does regularly work with governments and law enforcement agencies around the world with the sole purpose of fighting cybercrime. In the internal communications referenced within the recent article, the facts are once again either being misinterpreted or manipulated to fit the agenda of certain individuals desperately wanting there to be inappropriate ties between the company, its CEO and the Russian government, but no matter what communication they claim to have, the facts clearly remain there is no evidence because no such inappropriate ties exist."

[chillfactor]

1. I would believe Bloomberg...

before anyone associated with the Kaspersky lab.

[global1]

2. My Friend Has Kaspersky Lab As Her Internet Security Program On Her Computer...

today she called me and asked me how to remove it from her computer completely and recommend a new internet security program for her. I thought I put this request out here on DU. I'm curious if others are contemplating the same and how I should tell her how to handle this.

Any comments would be appreciated.

[roamer65]

3. I would reinstall the computer.

Backup essential, known files. Then wipe the sucker. God only knows what GRU backdoors Kaspersky installs. I'd rather have NSA backdoors...lol.

I've never purchased or installed Kaspersky. I don't trust the Russians.

[Best_man23]

5. Agreed

Even better, back up data, replace the HDD and reload from known media.

If you're wiping the drive, I recommend using a program called BC Wipe.

[pirateshipdude]

4. I have it also. I haven't had any issues. It is highly rated, but now I do not want it. Eom