Israeli spies allegedly found Russians using Kaspersky software for hacking

Washington DC (USA): In 2014, Israeli intelligence officials hacked the Kaspersky network and discovered Russian government hackers exploiting Kaspersky Lab antivirus software that is also used by 400 million people globally, including U.S. government agencies, according to media reports on Tuesday.

The Israeli officials who had hacked into Kaspersky’s network over two years ago then warned their U.S. counterparts of the Russian intrusion, according to media reports.

Following this, the US later banned all federal executive branch agencies from using Kaspersky software. The US has largely kept silent about what led to the ban.

The Russian-based company denied all allegations and any knowledge of or involvement with the Russian hacking. “Kaspersky Lab has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts,” the company said in a statement to the media. It also said it “respectfully requests any relevant, verifiable information that would enable the company to begin an investigation at the earliest opportunity.”

While some media houses have reported on how exactly Kaspersky antivirus software was used to steal sensitive US information, though it’s still unclear whether the company was complicit in the hacking.