Federal Agencies Ordered to Remove Acronis Software
The Department of Homeland Security directive cites foreign ownership and supply chain concerns, though officials found no concrete evidence of backdoors.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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On July 31, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin signed a directive requiring federal civilian agencies to remove all Acronis software products. Federal officials found no concrete evidence of backdoors in the software.
Why it matters
The directive reflects federal concern over foreign ownership, control or influence and supply chain risks tied to the company's development ties to Russia. It does not prohibit Acronis from operating in the private sector, limiting its scope to federal civilian use.
The directive sets a January 27 deadline for federal civilian agencies to eliminate all Acronis software products. Federal officials found no concrete evidence of backdoors, leaving the specific technical basis for the security concerns unresolved.
The players
Markwayne Mullin
Markwayne Mullin is the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and signed the directive ordering removal of Acronis software from federal civilian agencies.
Acronis
Acronis is a data protection and backup software company headquartered in Switzerland that provides solutions used by several U.S. federal agencies.
EQT
EQT is a Swedish private equity firm that acquired a majority stake in Acronis in 2025.
The details
The Federal Acquisition Security Council assessed foreign ownership, control or influence and supply chain risks before the directive was issued. Acronis is headquartered in Switzerland, and private equity firm EQT acquired a majority stake in the company in 2025. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have used Acronis data protection and backup solutions.
Timeline
July 31: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin signed the directive.
2025: EQT acquired a majority stake in Acronis.
January 27: Federal agencies must eliminate Acronis software products.
Tech Race
The directive applies the Federal Acquisition Security Council's foreign ownership, control or influence review to a widely used backup vendor. It shows how federal supply chain scrutiny can reach established cybersecurity products even without found evidence of backdoors.
Federal civilian agencies that rely on Acronis backup and data protection tools must migrate to other products before January 27. The directive does not affect Acronis availability for private-sector customers.
The takeaway
Federal supply chain reviews can extend to established security vendors based on ownership and development ties, even absent confirmed technical compromise. Organizations evaluating backup software should consider ownership structure alongside technical features.
What happens next
Federal civilian agencies must eliminate all Acronis software products by January 27.
Further reading
For more on federal software security policy, see the Cybersecurity section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SC Media.
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