Kaspersky is considering filing a complaint with the Dutch government

Earlier this year, the Dutch government decided, out of fear of Russian espionage, to stop using Kaspersky software. Now the Russian antivirus company says it is considering suing the government, NU.nl reports. The legal steps may follow in 2019, says CEO Anton Shingarev during the opening of a new data center in Switzerland.

The decision to stop using the antivirus company’s software came in May this year. Then Minister Grapperhaus of Security and Justice sent a letter about the decision to the Lower House. There was talk of a precautionary measure, because there is a fear that the software will be misused for Russian espionage.

Kaspersky said he was already disappointed in the decision. “The company then also announced that it would be moving to Switzerland, in order to avoid alleged connections with the Russian government.

So now Shingarev argues that legal action may be taken because “a very strange decision has been taken”. The CEO states that the government has admitted that it has found no technical reason to stop using the products. According to a Dutch spokesman, however, no choice has yet been made for a court case, but this is only being considered.

Other countries

Kaspersky has repeatedly said “no government to help or go help with offensive efforts in the digital domain”. However, several countries have stopped using the company’s software. This began with the United States, which banned the use of the software by federal governments and government agencies on 1 October. There, too, the company was accused of contributing to espionage by the Russian security forces.

In June it became clear that Europe might also want to banish the software. Parliament then warned against using the software in a motion. This ban has not yet been implemented. Warnings about the software were also issued in the United Kingdom and Lithuania.