State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Why Are Local Governments Using a Russian Software the Feds Won't?

Governing: The Washington Post revealed this week that several local governments across the U.S. are using a Russian brand of security software that the federal government fears could be leveraged by the foreign country for cyberespionage.

Earlier this month, the federal government removed Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based company that sells anti-virus security software, from its list of approved vendors. Meanwhile, nearly all the local governments interviewed by the Post appeared unaware of the controversy. Upon learning about it, most said that they had no immediate plans to stop using the product.

The news is merely the latest development in an ongoing debate about whether local goverments are doing enough to protect themselves from cyber threats.

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