Warning of Russia links prompts county to change anti-virus software

Cape Girardeau County is changing its anti-virus software provider after The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a warning the previous company was Russian-owned.

Information technology director Eric McGowen said in mid-2016, his department purchased software "we felt was the best product on the market," he said at Thursday's county commission meeting.

Although the software has been working well, McGowen said, renewal isn't an option.

"The name of the anti-virus platform we're using is Kaspersky," McGowen said.

According to a Nov. 14 report by the Associated Press, in July, the General Services Administration removed Kaspersky from its list of approved federal vendors.

In September, the Homeland Security Department directed all U.S. federal agencies and departments to stop using products or services supplied directly or indirectly by the Russian-owned and operated company, with a mid-December deadline.

The DHS directive provided Kaspersky an opportunity to respond to or mitigate the department's concerns and received a response, which as of Nov. 14 was being reviewed by department lawyers.

"Based on the suggestions of the Department of Defense [and] Homeland Security, even though there has never been an incident with this company, better safe than sorry," McGowen said, adding the recommendation is "any government entity cease and desist using this software."

Instead, the county's anti-virus software needs will be met by Sophos Anti-virus, which McGowen said has no suggestion of impropriety or incidents.

Originally, the renewal was slated to cost $2,200, which McGowen said was in the budget.

Now, the renewal will cost $2,625, or $17.50 for each of the 150 machines serving the county offices and the sheriff's department.

McGowen said in the past, anti-virus programs have had a lot of overhead -- that is, the program slows the machine and causes problems.

McGowen said by phone Friday the anti-virus software change wasn't prompted because the county has sensitive data of a national security-risk nature, "but we don't want to be a jumping off point for somebody."

The county's high-speed internet and fiber network could be considered an attractive target, McGowen said, so security is important.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo.