According to a draught rule seen by Reuters on Friday, Italy’s public authorities must replace antivirus software linked to Russia to avoid any service disruptions as a result of the ongoing Ukrainian crisis.
The decision comes as Italy’s data authority begins an investigation into potential privacy issues associated with the use of Kaspersky Lab software, which is based in Russia, amid mounting fears about potential cybersecurity assaults.
Kaspersky was asked by the regulatory body to give the number and type of its customers in the country, as well as to explain how its products process personal data, including whether it is shared with foreign governments.
In an emailed reply to Reuters, Kaspersky said it had received the Italian regulator’s request and was ready to address any issues it might have.
On Thursday, Kaspersky told Reuters that it was a privately-owned corporation with no ties to the Russian government and that it was a danger of being targeted for decisions based on geopolitics rather than genuine technological concerns.
Barcelona will host the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in 2022. Ferrari, the Italian Formula One team, has opted to remove the Kaspersky brand from its cars and is reviewing its supply relationships with the company.
The Italian state cybersecurity office claimed earlier this week that there was no proof that equipment provided by Russian-linked enterprises had been affected during the February 24 invasion of Ukraine.
It did caution, though, that dangers needed to be reviewed in light of the escalating conflict, and that anti-virus software was especially vulnerable due to the “high level of invasiveness” of the systems it served.
On Tuesday, a similar warning was issued in Germany, where the local cybersecurity organization advised users of Kaspersky’s anti-virus software that it posed a danger of a successful hacking attempt.
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