Australia has become the latest country to ban Kaspersky software from government systems, citing national security risks and concerns about potential Russian government influence.

“After considering threat and risk analysis, I have determined that the use of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and Web services by Australian government entities poses an unacceptable security risk to Australian government, networks and data, arising from threats of foreign interference, espionage and sabotage,” explained Stephanie Foster PSM, secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, in a notice.

“I have also considered the important need for a strong policy signal to critical infrastructure and other Australian governments regarding the unacceptable security risk associated with the use of Kaspersky Lab, Inc. products and Web services,” she added.

Australian agencies must remove the software by April 1. According to the

Department of Home Affairs directive, all non-corporate Commonwealth entities, under the Public Governance, Performance, and Accountability Act 2013, must:

  • Identify and remove all instances of Kaspersky products and services,
  • Prevent future installations, and
  • Report compliance to the Commonwealth Security Policy Branch.

Exemptions may apply for cases where Kaspersky products are necessary for national security or regulatory functions, such as law enforcement and compliance.

Kaspersky criticized the decision, claiming it lacked technical justification and was driven by geopolitical tensions.

Australia’s move is “not based on specific evidence and no due process has been organized or followed to provide justification,” the company said.

“Kaspersky believes that the decision stems from the current geopolitical climate and was not supported by any technical assessment of the company’s products, which the company has been continuously advocating for,” said Mai Al Akkad, Kaspersky’s Corporate Communications Manager, in a statement.

This development comes nearly a year after the US imposed a complete ban on Kaspersky products, a step further than its 2017 restriction of the software from government systems. In response, Kaspersky shut down its US operations, laying off all US-based employees and selling its customer base to UltraAV.