The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated twelve individuals in executive and senior leadership roles at AO Kaspersky Lab. This action aims to address continued cybersecurity risks associated with the organization.
“Today’s action against the leadership of Kaspersky Lab underscores our commitment to ensure the integrity of our cyber domain and to protect our citizens against malicious cyber threats,” stated Brian E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “The United States will take action where necessary to hold accountable those who would seek to facilitate or otherwise enable these activities.”
This designation follows a final determination by the Department of Commerce pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13873, which prohibits Kaspersky Lab, Inc., its affiliates, subsidiaries, and parent companies from providing anti-virus software and cybersecurity products or services in the United States or to U.S. persons. The investigation concluded that transactions involving Kaspersky Lab products pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security.
Additionally, the Department of Commerce has placed AO Kaspersky Lab, OOO Kaspersky Group (Russia), and Kaspersky Labs Limited (United Kingdom) on the Entity List due to their cooperation with Russian military and intelligence authorities in support of Russia’s cyber intelligence objectives.
Previously, the Department of Homeland Security issued a directive requiring Federal Executive Branch departments and agencies to discontinue use of Kaspersky Lab-branded products due to identified security risks.
The designated individuals include members of Kaspersky Lab's Board of Directors such as Andrei Gennadyevich Tikhonov, Daniil Sergeyevich Borshchev, Andrei Anatolyevich Efremov, Igor Gennadyevich Chekunov, Andrey Petrovich Dukhvalov, Andrei Anatolyevich Suvorov, Denis Vladimirovich Zenkin, Marina Mikhaylovna Alekseeva, Mikhail Yuryevich Gerber, Anton Mikhaylovich Ivanov, Kirill Aleksandrovich Astrakhan, and Anna Vladimirovna Kulashova. These individuals were designated under E.O. 14024 for operating in Russia's technology sector.
As a result of this action, all property and interests in property belonging to these individuals within the United States or controlled by U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also subject to these sanctions unless authorized by OFAC.
Foreign financial institutions facilitating significant transactions involving Russia’s military-industrial base may face sanctions from OFAC as well.
For additional guidance on OFAC sanctions targeting support for Russia’s military-industrial base and information on seeking removal from an OFAC list including the SDN List, refer to OFAC's updated advisory and FAQs.
