China’s procurement agency has removed antivirus software from Kaspersky Lab and Symantec Corp (SYMC.NASDAQ) from its list of approved software due to security concerns, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources. The exclusion follows a June notice from the Public Security Ministry that Symantec software contained security loopholes that could allow outside access, sources said. The exclusion only applies to “certain types of procurement,” and Symantec will continue to bid on Chinese government projects, spokeswoman Karen Batch said. China has stepped up scrutiny of foreign companies after Edward Snowden’s revelations of a NSA spying program and the espionage indictments of five PLA officers.
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