The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has added Russia’s Kaspersky, China Telecom (Americas), and China Mobile International USA to the national security threat list.
The move follows various allegations that the companies could be used to exploit, infiltrate and steal data belonging to the U.S. government and citizens.
According to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the decision “will help secure our networks from threats posed by Chinese and Russian state-backed entities seeking to engage in espionage and otherwise harm America’s interests.”
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency worked closely with U.S. national security agencies to update the list and will add additional companies if necessary.
Reacting to the decision, Kaspersky tagged it a politically motivated action.
“The move was unsubstantiated and is a response to the geopolitical climate rather than a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services,” Kaspersky stated.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington criticized the FCC decision stating that the agency “abused state power and maliciously attacked Chinese telecom operators again without factual basis.”
For more information, read the original story in Reuters.