The Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the fiscal 2018 defense policy bill would ban Kaspersky Lab‘s anti-virus software from Defense Department systems and reorganize the DoD chief information officer position, Defense One reported Friday.
SASC unanimously approved the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, that calls for the department to divide the current CIO duties between the chief management officer and a new “chief information warfare officer.”
A provision of the bill would also prevent all DoD components from using anti-virus software made by Moscow-based company Kaspersky, due to reports that the firm might be influenced by the Russian government.
Kaspersky said it does not have ties with any government and has not supported cyber espionage activities.
Both provisions are not included in the House Armed Service Committee’s version of the 2018 NDAA, according to Defense News.