Australia has officially banned the use of products from Kaspersky Laboratories in state systems and on official devices, as reported by IT News. On February 21, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a directive mandating the complete removal of the company’s programs from all government networks.
This prohibition was implemented as part of a security policy aimed at safeguarding state interests. The head of the Ministry of the Interior, Stephanie Foster, stated that software from Kaspersky Lab poses an “unacceptable risk” to Australian state structures. The primary concerns include threats of foreign intervention, cyber espionage, and sabotage, as detailed in a report by Positive Technologies.
The Ministry has set a deadline of April 1 for the complete removal of Kaspersky programs, emphasizing that this action should serve as a clear signal to critical infrastructure facilities and other state organizations in Australia about the inadmissibility of using products from the company.
Australia’s decision comes six months after similar measures were taken by the United States in June 2024, where a complete ban on the sale of Kaspersky Laboratory software was introduced. Additionally, the Australian government announced sanctions against 149 Russian individuals and legal entities, along with a ban on the supply of Russian commercial drones and their components.
In an era of heightened global digital competition and increased cybersecurity threats, countries are prioritizing the protection of their information systems, sometimes leading to restrictions on foreign technologies. Unfortunately, such prohibitions can inadvertently impact international cooperation and mutual trust in technology matters, potentially affecting future advancements in the field.