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Kaspersky Lab will appeal in court decision of US DHS

A representative with Kaspersky Lab told TASS that the application was filed with the US District Court in Washington, DC

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The Kaspersky Lab cybersecurity company will appeal in federal court of U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision on Binding Operational Directive 17-01 banning the use of the company’s products in federal agencies, the company said in a press release.

According to the company’s press release, Directive 17-01 is "unconstitutional and relied on subjective, non-technical public sources such as uncorroborated and often anonymously sourced media reports, related claims, and rumors."

"DHS’s actions have caused undue damage to both the company’s reputation in the IT security industry and its sales in the US," according to the press release.

A representative with Kaspersky Lab told TASS that the application was filed with the US District Court in Washington, DC.

"By filing an appeal Kaspersky Lab seeks to protect its right to adhere to proper administrative procedures in accordance with applicable federal laws and the US Constitution, and thereby recover the damage caused to the company's business activities, its employees in the United States, and its US business-partners ".

Kaspersky Lab claims that the agency did not allow the company to express its position within the framework of the procedures prescribed by law.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump signed a law on the budget of the Pentagon, which in particular bans the use of antivirus products by Kaspersky Lab and its subsidiaries in any state institutions.

Prior to this, the US Department of Homeland Security ordered US ministries and agencies to stop using Kaspersky Lab products. According to the department, the use of Kaspersky Lab products may pose risks to information security.

The Russian President’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the decision of the US authorities against Kaspersky Lab politicized. The Russian authorities described these steps of the US government as a manifestation of dishonest methods of competition.

Head of Kaspersky Lab, Eugene Kaspersky said that the US accusation against his company was a lie. He also noted that the company is not going to close its business with the US and will continue to operate in that country, despite the damage caused to the company and its business partners.