Wednesday, November 25, 2015

OFAC LEVIES CIVIL PENALTIES ON COMPANY THAT SOLD INTERNET BLOCKING SOFTWARE TO IRAN, SYRIA & SUDAN



Barracuda Networks, inc.,  a US seller of "web filtering products, including products that could be used to block or censor Internet activity, " and whose UK subsidiary sold Internet security products, and related software subscriptions, to individuals and entities in Iran, Sudan & Syria, some of whom were SDNs, was fined $38,930 by OFAC.

Although designated a non-egregious case, I disagree. These products have no benign applications, other than to keep minor children from accessing mature Internet sites.  The software damaged any democracy advocates in those countries, and prevented individuals from seeing the truth, unclouded by evil national interests that are in conflict with Western values. The officers richly deserve some Federal Prison time, and allowing this to remain a strictly civil case is a miscarriage of justice, in my humble opinion.

Add to this the fact that Barracuda Networks, Inc. had no OFAC compliance program in place, and we end up with a mere slap in the wrist, for reckless violations. You may read the complete text of the Enforcement Information for November 24, 2015, here*.
___________________________________________________________________
*http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/CivPen/Documents/20151124_barracuda.pdf

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.