Top US Electronics Retailer Best Buy Stops Selling Kaspersky Lab Software

Best Buy reportedly will stop selling Kaspersky Lab cybersecurity software due to fears that the company has links to the Russian government.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Top US electronics retailer Best Buy will stop selling cybersecurity software made by Kaspersky Lab due to fears that the company has links to the Russian government, according to US media reports.

Best Buy said its decision was prompted by media reports, congressional testimony and industry discussions that raised concerns about Kaspersky, the Star Tribune reported on Friday, citing a company spokesperson.

The US retailer has not conducted its own investigation into whether Kaspersky has any links to the Russian government.

Kaspersky insists that it is an independent software developer and has strongly denied having any links to the Kremlin. The company has said that it considers itself a victim of geopolitical strife between the United States and Russia.

US lawmakers are seeking to introduce a ban on the government's use of Kaspersky's software.

Best Buy will allow its customers who have bought Kaspersky software and who still have subscriptions to exchange it for free for another product within 45 days, the Star Tribune reported.

The US company will also have its staff uninstall the software for free within that window of time, it added.