Shaheen’s Government-Wide Kaspersky Ban Signed Into Law

(Washington, DC) — Today, the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law, which includes Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-NH) government-wide ban on Kaspersky Lab software across the federal government. Senator Shaheen’s broad legislation stipulates that Kaspersky Lab products, or any affiliated products and services, be banned from all federal computers and connected networks.  

“Considering the grave risk that Kaspersky Lab poses to our national security, it’s necessary that the current directive to remove Kaspersky Lab software from government computers be broadened and reinforced by statute,” said Senator Shaheen. “The case against Kaspersky is well-documented and deeply concerning. This law is long overdue, and I appreciate the urgency of my bipartisan colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee to remove this threat from government systems. Going forward, I will continue to push for additional measures that strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity and protect our democracy from harmful foreign interference.”

Senator Shaheen was the first public official to sound the alarm on Kaspersky Lab. In September, the Trump administration heeded Senator Shaheen’s warnings about the Kremlin-linked company, ordering all federal agencies to remove the software from government computers within 90 days. In October, Senator Shaheen sent a letter to the leadership of the Senate Armed Services Committee, requesting a hearing on the use of Kaspersky Lab software to hack the National Security Agency in 2015. Shortly thereafter, Shaheen called on the Trump administration to declassify information on Kaspersky Lab to raise public awareness regarding the serious threat that the company poses to the United States’ national security.