German intelligence advises replacing Kaspersky antivirus – Computer – News

The German intelligence service BSI advises German institutions and companies to replace the anti-virus software of the Russian company Kaspersky in the short term. Because of the war in Ukraine, the risk of cyber attacks from Russia is considered greater.

“Antivirus software and its cloud services have extensive system licenses and must maintain a permanent, encrypted connection to the manufacturer’s servers. Therefore, trusting the manufacturer’s reliability and self-protection is critical,” BSI writes. “If there are doubts about the reliability of a manufacturer, its antivirus software poses a security risk to digital infrastructures.”

BSI fears that the longer the war in Ukraine continues, the greater the risk of a large-scale cyberattack from Russia. “A Russian IT manufacturer can carry out attacks on its own, force it to attack systems against its will, or itself become the victim of a cyber operation without knowing it.”

The Intelligence Service assures that anyone who uses Kapersky’s antivirus software can become a victim of such an attack. The British Standards Institute says companies and critical infrastructure operators are at additional risk.

Despite the urgent message, BSI advises companies and agencies not to rush to use other antivirus software. Disabled antivirus software and other security measures without preparation can leave companies defenseless against cyberattacks, the agency says. The intelligence service advises German companies to assess their security systems first and possibly consult BSI-certified cybersecurity experts.

Last week the British Standards Institution already warned Cyber ​​attack on critical infrastructure In Germany because of the war in Ukraine. BSI did not provide details of the attack, but the attack could target the country’s energy supplies or military facilities. Der Spiegel writes† in the Dutch national government, The use of Kaspersky Antivirus is prohibited.