Kaspersky completes data-processing relocation to Switzerland

Kaspersky has completed the relocation of data storage and processing activities from Russia to Switzerland, part of the company’s Global Transparency Initiative.

The cybersecurity firm has also opened its fifth ‘Transparency Centre’ in North America in partnership with the CyberNB Association in New Brunswick, Canada. The facility will start operating in early 2021 and will become the company’s fifth location where Kaspersky partners can review its source code and learn more about engineering and data-processing practices, as well as its product portfolio.

Kaspersky has been on a three-year quest to reassure its customers of the trustworthiness of its products. President Donald Trump signed into law in 2017 legislation that banned the use of Kaspersky Lab within the U.S. government, part of an effort to purge the Moscow-based antivirus firm from federal agencies amid concerns it was vulnerable to Kremlin influence.

Kaspersky has also provided the source code of its software for independent reviews, undertaken several third-party assessments including the SOC2 audit by a Big Four company, and has attained ISO27001 certification for its data services.

In addition to Europe, the United States, and Canada, Kaspersky has also relocated data storage and processing for several Asia-Pacific countries. The list of Asia Pacific countries which have become part of the GTI relocation plans includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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The customer threat-related data shared by users who are based in these locations is now processed in two data centres in Zurich, Switzerland, and includes suspicious or previously unknown malicious files that the company’s products send to the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) for automated malware analysis.

“Since we announced our Global Transparency Initiative with several bold steps, including data-processing and storage relocation, Kaspersky has not only reconfirmed its commitment to being a trusted partner but anticipated expectations from the market and regulators,” said Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky.

“In the three years since the announcement we have seen the major transformation of approaches and regulations in data security. We see that investment in trust and transparency is gradually becoming an industry standard, and I am proud of our company for being among the transparency pioneers and trailblazers.”