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DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

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51–60 of 115 posts

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#51
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no need to have smoking gun. If confrontation between countries go too far, this is a potential attack vector. It can be used even without any cooperation from Kaspersky, is necessary. And, if used wisely, even without attribution (this requires cooperation though). This risk is enough to justify this move.

If that's true now, it was true 4 years ago too. The McCain/Rubio claims are what's new.

The level of confrontation and its trend is what's new.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#52
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If that's true now, it was true 4 years ago too. The McCain/Rubio claims are what's new.

The level of confrontation and its trend is what's new.

That begs the question, which is "why is the level of confrontation increasing now, as opposed to 4 years ago?"

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#53
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're unlikely to see the evidence in this case. Could you be clearer about exactly which "discrimination" code or statute the USG would be violating, even if they were doing this capriciously?

Not a lawyer to know one, just common sense they got banned based on being Russians, unless of course we can be proven otherwise (with evidence)

I think you're going to find that there is no such code or statute that prevents the USG from doing what they did.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#54
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're making a very big leap from 'Russia arrested someone and charged him with treason' to 'That person was actually a US spy' and even 'The arrest of this person who was actually a US spy is the driver behind a particular US policy'. We just don't have any reasonable insight into why Russia arrests people and what, if anything, they're guilty of.

> We just don't have any reasonable insight into why Russia arrests people In the actual article link it quotes Russian govt. officials saying they arrested them for treason, and for giving secrets to a US Intelligence Agency that wasn't the CIA. I do appreciate skepticism in response to claims, but please do read through the article first before contesting.

If I were a rude person unburdened by the site guidelines, I'd suggest you read the comment you're replying to before grumping about who's read the article.

As I'm not, though - my point was the current Russian regime is not constrained by niceties like the rule of law and accusing enemies, real or perceived, of being nefarious agents of a foreign power is their favourite thing. So 'this guy was an American spy' is already a fairly shaky foundation, 'the arrest of this particular guy caused this change in US policy' is a reach bordering on baseless speculation. We just don't have any good way of knowing how much or any of this is true.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#55
post #21

Makes sense. I understand their concerns. Would also makes sense to ban Microsoft at least in the EU for anything government or military related and only used a custom tailored Linux. EULinuxs instead of Red Linux :-)

LinEUx

Wow, I feel terrible.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#56
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So its even more important for public to see the evidence. Otherwise it feels like private vendetta most likely because Kaspersky is Russian (you know, our current Administration doesn't like Russians much) who actually build his empire on fighting Russian Government-funded cyberspying (claims Wikipedia). I'm sure if Kaspersky sells tons of software on US soil, and most likely pay taxes on US soil, then they will sue…

More likely that not, the sources and methods behind the evidence are classified. See all the Russians that started dying under mysterious circumstances or got arrested, nominally for treason, after the US election.

You can have secrets or you can public policy in a democracy. This stuff isn't chump change, this is a primary debate we are currently having and the public can't see the evidence.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#57
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The level of confrontation and its trend is what's new.

That begs the question, which is "why is the level of confrontation increasing now, as opposed to 4 years ago?"

Because Russia is a domestic political issue in the US - it's been anointed as the McGuffin in the battle between the two main parties over the presidency.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#58
I am deeply suspicious of the criticism heaped on Kaspersky, and I suspect it might be part of a smoke and mirrors attempt to distract us from actual threats. The US IC community is deeply ingrained in the antivirus and computer security industries. NSA employees go to work for these companies, and vice versa. Foreign governments have just as much to fear from Norton and McAfee, as we do from Kaspersky.

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#59

I am deeply suspicious of the criticism heaped on Kaspersky, and I suspect it might be part of a smoke and mirrors attempt to distract us from actual threats. The US IC community is deeply ingrained in the antivirus and computer security industries. NSA employees go to work for these companies, and vice versa. Foreign governments have just as much to fear from Norton and McAfee, as we do from Kaspersky.

How does that conclusion follow your premise?

Premise: US AV companies are deeply connected to the US intelligence communities.

Conclusion: Deep suspicion of criticism that a Russian AV company may be connected with Russian intelligence communities?

Re: DHS Issues BOD Banning Kaspersky from Federal Government

#60
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More likely that not, the sources and methods behind the evidence are classified. See all the Russians that started dying under mysterious circumstances or got arrested, nominally for treason, after the US election.

You can have secrets or you can public policy in a democracy. This stuff isn't chump change, this is a primary debate we are currently having and the public can't see the evidence.

The DoD black budget looks even less like chump change, since it's at least two orders of magnitude larger than Kaspersky's worldwide revenues, yet it's always been top secret: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/national/black-...
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