Canada: Canada has banned Chinese messaging application WeChat and Russian antivirus programme Kaspersky from government devices over security concerns.
“The ban was announced after an assessment by Canada’s chief information officer that Tencent-owned (0700.HK) WeChat and applications made by Moscow-based Kaspersky present an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security,” the Treasury Board of Canada, which oversees public administration, said in a statement.
“The decision to remove and block the WeChat and Kaspersky applications was made to ensure that government of Canada networks and data remain secure and are in line with the approach of our international partners,” the statement added.
The Chinese-owned WeChat is sometimes referred to as the “everything app” since it offers features of WhatsApp, Facebook, Amazon, and Tinder. Western governments have reported security concerns about the app, mainly that it could be used to spy on users.
WeChat is one of the most used apps in the world. “There is no evidence that government information has been compromised through WeChat,” the president of Canada’s Treasury Board, Ms. Anita Anand, said in a statement.
“We are taking a risk-based approach to cyber security by removing access to these applications on government mobile devices,” Ms. Anita added.
Kaspersky commented that it was surprised and disappointed and that the decision was made without warning or an opportunity for the firm to address the government’s concerns.
“As there has been no evidence or due process to otherwise justify these actions, they are highly unsupported and a response to the geopolitical climate rather than a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services,” the company said in a statement.
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