MSPs that partner with Kaspersky continue to face growing question marks on multiple continents. Indeed, five European Union (EU) member nations want to ban Kaspersky's security products amid proposed sanctions against Russia that could impact Russia-founded companies, Bloomberg reported.
Critics have long alleged that Kaspersky has ties to Russia's government. Kaspersky has repeatedly and firmly denied the allegations. Still, the pressure points facing Kaspersky and its MSP partners include these industry developments:
Those moves surfaced amid Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine. The war, triggered by Russia, has reignited concerns that Kaspersky could have undisclosed ties to Russia's government. Those concerns made major headlines back in 2017, when the U.S. government ordered federal agencies to remove Kaspersky's software from federal networks.
Kaspersky Statements, MSP Partner Ecosystem Details
Kaspersky has repeatedly and consistently denied allegations that the company has ties to Russia's government. To further address the concerns, Kaspersky maintains a Transparency Center -- where partners and customers can review the company's code, software updates, threat detection rules and other technical and business processes. And in March 2022, Kaspersky offered this statement in response to government concerns in Germany.
Meanwhile, Kaspersky's MSP partner program has been in growth mode -- though we don't know if or how Russia's war against Ukraine will impact that business.
Kaspersky's sales through MSPs grew 75 percent in 2021 vs. 2020, according to a January 2022 statement from the company. The overall partner program features a pay-as-you-go monthly subscription payment plan, and a License Management Portal for partners, the company noted at the time.
Decision Day for MSPs and MSSPs In Italy
Take a closer look, and you'll notice that Italy was one of Kaspersky's fastest-growing regions for MSP partners in 2021, the company indicated. Now, Italy's government has raised concerns about the use of such software. Will be watching to see if MSPs remain loyal to the software -- and whether some MSSPs help Italian agencies to remove the software.
Blog originally published March 21, 2022. Updated regularly thereafter.
