Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab will cease its US operations and lay off its American employees following a ban by the Department of Commerce. This decision, announced Monday, marks the end of nearly 20 years of Kaspersky’s presence in the US. The shutdown, starting on July 20, comes after US officials cited national security concerns, suggesting the Russian government could misuse Kaspersky’s software for surveillance. Despite these allegations, which Kaspersky has denied, the company has found it no longer viable to continue its US business.
The Commerce Department’s unprecedented ban follows a series of executive orders aimed at protecting American data from foreign threats. Kaspersky, which serves over 400 million users and 240,000 companies worldwide, will now focus on other strategic markets. This closure reflects broader tensions between the US and foreign technology firms over data security and surveillance fears. Kaspersky’s researchers are renowned in the cybersecurity industry for their work on hacking operations and cybercriminal threats, but their US operations will soon come to an end.