❓ WA Parliament Question on Notice regarding the use of Kaspersky Lab antivirus software within government agencies, following concerns raised by the US Department of Homeland Security. Several agencies confirmed its use, while others did not.
AnsweredQoN 3124Legislative Assembly
Asked
12 June 2018
Member
Portfolio
Treasurer; Minister for Finance; Energy; Aboriginal Affairs
QuestionView source ↗
In respect of the Minister’s portfolio responsibilities for any ministerial office, departments, agencies, government trading enterprises or boards I ask, whether any information security products (i.e. antivirus software) by AO Kaspersky Lab are in use, and if yes: (a) What products are in use (i.e. Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud); (b) Do any of these computers store, or transmit confidential or sensitive information; (c) What is the annual cost of subscribing to these products; and (d) Noting the United State's Department of Homeland Security's issuance of Binding Operational Directive 17-01 ordering agencies in that nation to discontinue use of this software due to cyber-security concerns, why is this software still in use?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2018
Response time
9 days
Ministerial Office
Please refer to response to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3134.
Department of Treasury
Yes
(a) Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance uses the Content Analysis System, antivirus definitions and whitelisting from Kaspersky Labs. The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG is used as a forward proxy.
(b) All network traffic passes through the Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance.
(c) The Department of Finance are Treasury’s service provider who meet this cost.
(d) Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is scheduled to be decommissioned by the end of 2018 as part of the Digital Finance Transition Program.
Department of Finance
Yes
(a) The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance uses the Content Analysis System, anti-virus definitions and whitelisting from Kaspersky Labs. The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is used as a forward proxy.
(b) All network traffic passes through the Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance.
(c) The annual cost of the Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is $35,905 of which $4,400 is attributed to Kaspersky Labs.
(d) The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is scheduled to be decommissioned by the end of 2018 as part of the “Digital Finance Transition Program”.
Western Australia Treasury Corporation
Yes
(a) Clearswift Mailsweeper
(b) Yes
(c) $5,307
(d) Clearswift Mailsweeper has been used by Western Australian Treasury Corporation since 2000. Western Australian Treasury Corporation is currently considering moving to alternate software (Sophos Antivirus).
Economic Regulation Authority
No
(a-d) Not Applicable
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
Please refer to the answer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3121.
Aboriginal Policy and Coordination Unit
Please refer to the answer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3134.
Western Power
No
(a-d) Not Applicable
Synergy
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Horizon Power
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Government Employees Superannuation Board
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Fund
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Insurance Commission of Western Australia
(a) Kaspersky Anti-Virus (via the Clearswift mail filtering service).
(b) No for Kaspersky Anti-Virus.
(c) $17,500.
(d) The software scans incoming emails for security as part of the Clearswift suite of mail filtering services available for use in Australia.
Office of the Auditor General
No (a-d): Not applicable
Please refer to response to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3134.
Department of Treasury
Yes
(a) Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance uses the Content Analysis System, antivirus definitions and whitelisting from Kaspersky Labs. The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG is used as a forward proxy.
(b) All network traffic passes through the Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance.
(c) The Department of Finance are Treasury’s service provider who meet this cost.
(d) Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is scheduled to be decommissioned by the end of 2018 as part of the Digital Finance Transition Program.
Department of Finance
Yes
(a) The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance uses the Content Analysis System, anti-virus definitions and whitelisting from Kaspersky Labs. The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is used as a forward proxy.
(b) All network traffic passes through the Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance.
(c) The annual cost of the Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is $35,905 of which $4,400 is attributed to Kaspersky Labs.
(d) The Symantec Blue Coat ProxySG appliance is scheduled to be decommissioned by the end of 2018 as part of the “Digital Finance Transition Program”.
Western Australia Treasury Corporation
Yes
(a) Clearswift Mailsweeper
(b) Yes
(c) $5,307
(d) Clearswift Mailsweeper has been used by Western Australian Treasury Corporation since 2000. Western Australian Treasury Corporation is currently considering moving to alternate software (Sophos Antivirus).
Economic Regulation Authority
No
(a-d) Not Applicable
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
Please refer to the answer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3121.
Aboriginal Policy and Coordination Unit
Please refer to the answer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3134.
Western Power
No
(a-d) Not Applicable
Synergy
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Horizon Power
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Government Employees Superannuation Board
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Fund
No
(a-d) Not applicable
Insurance Commission of Western Australia
(a) Kaspersky Anti-Virus (via the Clearswift mail filtering service).
(b) No for Kaspersky Anti-Virus.
(c) $17,500.
(d) The software scans incoming emails for security as part of the Clearswift suite of mail filtering services available for use in Australia.
Office of the Auditor General
No (a-d): Not applicable
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