FBI visits Kaspersky Lab employees

FBI agents have visited the homes of more than 10 employees of Kaspersky Lab, the company confirmed to The Hill.

Kaspersky Lab has not been directly contacted by the FBI in the matter. 

Though the company did not confirm the content of the conversations, it reiterated earlier statements related to growing fears in the U.S. government that the antivirus company is in some way compromised by the Russian government. 

Kaspersky is based in Moscow, but has research centers across the world, including in the United States.

“As a private company, Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts,” it said in a reissued statement.

{mosads}”The company has a 20 year history in the IT security industry of always abiding by the highest ethical business practices, and Kaspersky Lab believes it is completely unacceptable that the company is being unjustly accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations. Kaspersky Lab is available to assist all concerned government organizations with any ongoing investigations, and the company ardently believes a deeper examination of Kaspersky Lab will confirm that these allegations are unfounded.”

Founder Eugene Kaspersky has offered to testify in front of the Senate to clear the air. 

NBC News reported that employees were largely asked about the relationship between the U.S. operations and the Russian office.

Two weeks ago, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) said during a House Science subcommittee hearing that they should take Kaspersky up on his offer to testify.

Kaspersky Lab continues to receive government contracts, despite concerns that the Moscow-headquartered outfit may have ties to the Russian government.

Though there is no public evidence justifying that claim, the Department of Homeland Security issued guidance to avoid the vendor. Whether Kaspersky can be trusted is often raised in Senate Intelligence Committee meetings.

Founder Eugene Kaspersky served in Military Intelligence in Russia, graduated from a KGB-run university and maintains public friendships with people in government and intelligence. Kaspersky Lab has been involved in security research that, among other successes, outed the believed to be Russian espionage hacking group Turla.