Cybersecurity Database

Directive

WeChat and Kaspersky banned on federal devices (Canada, 2023)

Minister Anand announces a ban on the use of WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications on government mobile devices

In force since 30 October 2023Record checked against the official source on 2 November 2026 · Methodology

Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/news/2023/10/minister-anand-announces-a-ban-on-the-use-of-wechat-and-kaspersky-suite-of-applications-on-government-mobile-devices.html

Official source
Date adopted
Entry into force

Summary

In this news release of 30 October 2023, the President of the Treasury Board, Anita Anand, announced that from that day the WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications would be removed from government-issued mobile devices and that users of these devices would also be blocked from downloading them in the future. The decision is based on a determination by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Canada. The ban has the same scope as the February 2023 ban on TikTok, namely government-issued mobile devices under the Treasury Board's Policy on Service and Digital.

Who it applies to

Government-issued mobile devices under the Treasury Board's Policy on Service and Digital, as for the February 2023 ban on TikTok.

Information

Jurisdiction
Canada
Issuing body
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
Type
Directive
Available languages
English, French (official translation)
Topics
Notes
In a Question Period note received on 19 June 2025, the Treasury Board Secretariat states that TikTok, WeChat and Kaspersky are the only applications barred from use and downloading on government-issued mobile devices.

Record details

Original title
Minister Anand announces a ban on the use of WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications on government mobile devices
Title in other languages
  • La ministra Anand annuncia il divieto di usare WeChat e la suite di applicazioni Kaspersky sui dispositivi mobili del governo
  • La ministre Anand annonce l'interdiction d'utiliser la suite d'applications WeChat et Kaspersky sur les appareils mobiles du gouvernement
  • La ministra Anand anuncia la prohibición de usar WeChat y el paquete de aplicaciones de Kaspersky en los dispositivos móviles del Gobierno
  • Ministerin Anand kündigt ein Verbot der Nutzung von WeChat und der Kaspersky-Anwendungen auf mobilen Geräten der Regierung an
Licence / terms of use
Crown copyright – Government of Canada content (Crown copyright); reuse is governed by the Government of Canada's terms and conditions.
Collected from
manual entry
Last verified
(verified via web)

How to cite

APA

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). (2023). Minister Anand announces a ban on the use of WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications on government mobile devices. https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/news/2023/10/minister-anand-announces-a-ban-on-the-use-of-wechat-and-kaspersky-suite-of-applications-on-government-mobile-devices.html

Chicago

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). "Minister Anand announces a ban on the use of WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications on government mobile devices." 30 October 2023. https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/news/2023/10/minister-anand-announces-a-ban-on-the-use-of-wechat-and-kaspersky-suite-of-applications-on-government-mobile-devices.html.

BibTeX

@misc{ca_wechat_kaspersky_ban_government_mobile_devices_2023,
  author       = {{Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS)}},
  title        = {{Minister Anand announces a ban on the use of WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications on government mobile devices}},
  year         = {2023},
  url          = {https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/news/2023/10/minister-anand-announces-a-ban-on-the-use-of-wechat-and-kaspersky-suite-of-applications-on-government-mobile-devices.html},
  urldate      = {2026-11-02}
}

Metadata and summary: CC BY 4.0 · JSON