Under scrutiny, Kaspersky Lab considers changes to U.S. subsidiaryWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Moscow-based cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab said on Tuesday it is considering making changes to its subsidiary that sells products to the U.S. government, at a time when the company is facing allegations that it may be vulnerable to Russian influence. The U.S. Senate is voting this week on a defense policy spending bill that includes language that would ban Kaspersky Lab products from being used by U.S. government agencies.       “Given that U.S. government sales have not been a significant part of the company’s activity in North America, Kaspersky Lab is exploring opportunities to better optimize the Washington D.C. office responsible for threat intelligence offerings to U.S. government entities,” a Kaspersky spokeswoman said in a statement to Reuters.  She added that the company was planning to open new offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto in 2018.  “Despite geopolitical turbulence we remain committed to  (North) American customers,” company founder and chief executive Eugene Kaspersky said Tuesday on Twitter. The company declined to give more details as to what changes it was making. Kaspersky has repeatedly denied that it has ties to any government and said it would not help any government with cyber espionage. It said there is no evidence for accusations by U.S. officials and lawmakers that its antivirus software may be used to provide espionage services to the Kremlin. However, the company has not been able to shake off the allegations. Last week, Best Buy Co , the No.1 U.S. electronics retailer, said it was pulling Kaspersky Lab’s cyber security products from its shelves and website. Citing two unidentified sources, The Bell, a Russian-language news outlet, said on Tuesday that Kaspersky Lab was considering closing its offices in Arlington, Virginia, a Washington suburb. Those offices, home to the Kaspersky Lab subsidiary KGSS that is dedicated to the U.S. federal market, were empty when a Reuters reporter visited them in July. A Kaspersky spokeswoman at the time said most of the staff, which number less than 10, often work from home. Kaspersky Lab was founded in 1997 and now counts over 400 million global customers. It has tried largely in vain to become a vendor to the U.S. government, one of the world’s biggest buyers of cyber tools. Longstanding suspicions about the company grew in the United States when U.S.-Russia relations deteriorated following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and later when U.S. intelligence agencies determined that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election using cyber means. politicsNews
under scrutiny kaspersky lab considers changes subsidiarywashington reuters cyber security firm kaspersky lab said tuesday considering making changes subsidiary sells products government time company facing allegations may vulnerable russian influence the senate voting week defense policy spending bill includes language would ban kaspersky lab products used government agencies given government sales significant part company activity north america kaspersky lab exploring opportunities better optimize washington office responsible threat intelligence offerings government entities kaspersky spokeswoman said statement reuters she added company planning open new offices chicago los angeles toronto despite geopolitical turbulence remain committed north american customers company founder chief executive eugene kaspersky said tuesday twitter the company declined give details changes making kaspersky repeatedly denied ties government said would help government cyber espionage it said evidence accusations officials lawmakers antivirus software may used provide espionage services kremlin however company able shake allegations last week best buy co electronics retailer said pulling kaspersky lab cyber security products shelves website citing two unidentified sources the bell news outlet said tuesday kaspersky lab considering closing offices arlington virginia washington suburb those offices home kaspersky lab subsidiary kiss dedicated federal market empty reuters reporter visited july a kaspersky spokeswoman time said staff number less often work home kaspersky lab founded counts million global customers it tried largely vain become vendor government one world biggest buyers cyber tools longstanding suspicions company grew united states relations deteriorated following russia annexation crimea later intelligence agencies determined russia interfered presidential election using cyber means politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Under scrutiny, Kaspersky Lab considers changes to U.S. subsidiaryWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Moscow-based cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab said on Tuesday it is considering making changes to its subsidiary that sells products to the U.S. government, at a time when the company is facing allegations that it may be vulnerable to Russian influence. The U.S. Senate is voting this week on a defense policy spending bill that includes language that would ban Kaspersky Lab products from being used by U.S. government agencies.       “Given that U.S. government sales have not been a significant part of the company’s activity in North America, Kaspersky Lab is exploring opportunities to better optimize the Washington D.C. office responsible for threat intelligence offerings to U.S. government entities,” a Kaspersky spokeswoman said in a statement to Reuters.  She added that the company was planning to open new offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto in 2018.  “Despite geopolitical turbulence we remain committed to  (North) American customers,” company founder and chief executive Eugene Kaspersky said Tuesday on Twitter. The company declined to give more details as to what changes it was making. Kaspersky has repeatedly denied that it has ties to any government and said it would not help any government with cyber espionage. It said there is no evidence for accusations by U.S. officials and lawmakers that its antivirus software may be used to provide espionage services to the Kremlin. However, the company has not been able to shake off the allegations. Last week, Best Buy Co , the No.1 U.S. electronics retailer, said it was pulling Kaspersky Lab’s cyber security products from its shelves and website. Citing two unidentified sources, The Bell, a Russian-language news outlet, said on Tuesday that Kaspersky Lab was considering closing its offices in Arlington, Virginia, a Washington suburb. Those offices, home to the Kaspersky Lab subsidiary KGSS that is dedicated to the U.S. federal market, were empty when a Reuters reporter visited them in July. A Kaspersky spokeswoman at the time said most of the staff, which number less than 10, often work from home. Kaspersky Lab was founded in 1997 and now counts over 400 million global customers. It has tried largely in vain to become a vendor to the U.S. government, one of the world’s biggest buyers of cyber tools. Longstanding suspicions about the company grew in the United States when U.S.-Russia relations deteriorated following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and later when U.S. intelligence agencies determined that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election using cyber means. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: under scrutiny kaspersky lab considers changes subsidiarywashington reuters cyber security firm kaspersky lab said tuesday considering making changes subsidiary sells products government time company facing allegations may vulnerable russian influence the senate voting week defense policy spending bill includes language would ban kaspersky lab products used government agencies given government sales significant part company activity north america kaspersky lab exploring opportunities better optimize washington office responsible threat intelligence offerings government entities kaspersky spokeswoman said statement reuters she added company planning open new offices chicago los angeles toronto despite geopolitical turbulence remain committed north american customers company founder chief executive eugene kaspersky said tuesday twitter the company declined give details changes making kaspersky repeatedly denied ties government said would help government cyber espionage it said evidence accusations officials lawmakers antivirus software may used provide espionage services kremlin however company able shake allegations last week best buy co electronics retailer said pulling kaspersky lab cyber security products shelves website citing two unidentified sources the bell news outlet said tuesday kaspersky lab considering closing offices arlington virginia washington suburb those offices home kaspersky lab subsidiary kiss dedicated federal market empty reuters reporter visited july a kaspersky spokeswoman time said staff number less often work home kaspersky lab founded counts million global customers it tried largely vain become vendor government one world biggest buyers cyber tools longstanding suspicions company grew united states relations deteriorated following russia annexation crimea later intelligence agencies determined russia interfered presidential election using cyber means politicsnews