Russia's Kaspersky Lab Hopes to Continue Working With Barclays in UK

The UK government has banned federal agencies from using cybersecurity software made by Russian company Kaspersky Lab amid fears that the firm has ties to state-sponsored spying programs.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to company’s General Manager in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Adam Maskatiya, Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab hopes to continue its cooperation with Barclays Bank PLC despite accusations of spying on the London-based bank's customers.

"Kaspersky Lab continues to work with Barclays to provide its customers with internet security. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Barclays to help keep its customers protected online," Maskatiya said.

Last week, the Financial Times media outlet reported, citing a UK government source, that the country’s intelligence services had suspected Kaspersky Lab of using its antivirus software for spying purposes. According to this article more than 2 million Barclays customers, who got a free subscription to Kaspersky Lab, may have been targeted by the alleged spying program. However, the company’s press service pointed out once again that it had never allowed any state, including Russia, to spy on its customers.

READ MORE: US Lawmaker Asks Trump Administration to Declassify Kaspersky Lab Information

In September, the US Department of Homeland Security ordered state agencies and departments to stop using Kaspersky Lab products over their potential threat to US cybersecurity. However, Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky has refuted all the cyber-espionage allegations spread by the media regarding the Russian cybersecurity company’s involvement in spying through its products, calling such claims groundless and paranoiac.