Report: Kaspersky Lab CEO offers up code for US govt scrutiny

MOSCOW, Jul 3 (PRIME) – Russian antivirus software maker Kaspersky Lab can offer is source code to the U.S. for checks to help dispel long-lingering suspicions about the company’s ties to the Kremlin, CEO Yevgeny Kaspersky said, AP News reported on Monday.

In an interview with The Associated Press at his Moscow headquarters, Kaspersky said on July 1 that he is also ready to move part of his research work to the U.S. to help counter rumors that he said were first started more than two decades ago out of professional jealousy.

“If the U.S. needs, we can disclose the source code,” he said, adding that he was ready to testify before U.S. lawmakers as well. “Anything I can do to prove that we don’t behave maliciously I will do it.”

Kaspersky, a mathematical engineer who attended a KGB-sponsored school and once worked for Russia’s Defense Ministry, has long been eyed suspiciously by some competitors, particularly as his anti-virus products became popular in the U.S. market. Some speculate that Kaspersky, an engaging speaker and a fixture of the conference circuit, kept his Soviet-era intelligence connections. Others say it is unlikely that his company could operate independently in Russia, where the economy is dominated by state-owned companies and the power of spy agencies has expanded dramatically under President Vladimir Putin.

No firm evidence has ever been produced to back up the claims. But this has not stopped what was once gossip at tech conferences from escalating into public accusations from American politicians and intelligence officials amid rising concerns over Russian interference in the U.S.

Senior U.S. intelligence officials have suggested Congress steer well clear of Kaspersky’s products and lawmakers are weighing a proposal to ban the company from the Pentagon. Law enforcement seems to be taking a hard look at the company as well. On June 28, NBC news reported that at least a dozen U.S. employees of Kaspersky were visited at their homes by FBI agents.

Kaspersky confirmed the NBC report, although he said he did not know what the focus of the FBI’s questioning was. He did say his relationship with the FBI was now shot.

“Unfortunately, now the links to the FBI are completely ruined,” he said, noting that his company cooperated with both U.S. and Russian law enforcement. “It means that if some serious crime happens that needs Russian law enforcement to cooperate with FBI, unfortunately it’s not possible.”

The FBI declined to comment, but agents are unlikely to lose much sleep over that; Kaspersky allowed that cooperation between Russia and the U.S. on cybercrime has often been “far from perfect.”

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