PRAGUE, Czech Republic

Denmark on Sunday urged public and private companies not to use antivirus programs developed by the Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, state media reported.

In a statement, the Center for Cyber Security (CFSC), which works under the Danish Defense Intelligence Service, called on companies to be cautious about installing Russian antivirus products.

“The good advice is to take a critical stance on whether Kaspersky should be the ones who deliver your antivirus product,” Mark Fiedel, deputy director of the Center for Cyber Security, said, adding, “Especially if you operate with things that you would rather not fall into the hands of the Russians.”

Fiedel believes it will be difficult for Russian companies to refuse if the Russian intelligence services request security cooperation to access the Danish documents.

He said, "We have a lot of information that we believe it would be really, really bad if foreign powers, including Russia, had access to it.

"An antivirus product that by its very nature has access to our network and our systems, we are not interested in that from a Russian company."

The statement came in the backdrop of the US announcing a ban on the sale of antivirus software by Russian Kaspersky Lab.

The ban will go into effect on July 20, after which Kaspersky will no longer be able to market its products in the US cyber market.

Meanwhile, Germany has recommended that Russian antivirus programs be replaced with other options.