DHS’ Kaspersky Order Exposes Perilous Acquisition Iceberg’s Tip

The Department of Homeland Security yesterday told the rest of the U.S. government to stop using software produced by Russia’s Kaspersky Labs.  Why, one might well wonder, would such a “Binding Operational Directive” be needed, with all the hard experience with cyber attacks on both the public and private sector – to say nothing of known Kaspersky ties to the Kremlin’s intelligence services and Putin’s own recent warning that Russian businesses shouldn’t use foreign software?

There are two possible answers, both troubling. The first is that political and/or foreign policy considerations have often caused the U.S. military to be less sensitive than it should be to the obvious dangers of relying on overseas suppliers.

Second, as two security contractors caught up in the Benghazi debacle have recently reminded us, when it comes to our security, relying on low-bidders is a formula for disaster.