BONN (BLOOMBERG) - Germany warned against using anti-virus software from Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab due to risks it could be exploited by Russia for a cyber attack.

The Federal Office for Information Security, or BSI, issued the warning on Tuesday (March 15), saying that companies and authorities with special security status and operators of critical infrastructure could be "particularly at risk".

The danger has increased since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Bonn-based agency said in a press release, citing threats made by Moscow against Nato, the European Union and Germany.

In 2017, the United States government banned all use of Kaspersky Lab software in federal information systems, citing concerns about the firm's links to the Russian government and espionage. The company denied any wrongdoing in that case and pushed back against Germany's move now.

"We will be working with the BSI for clarification on its decision and for the means to address its and other regulators' concerns," Kaspersky said in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday. "We believe that peaceful dialogue is the only possible instrument for resolving conflicts. War isn't good for anyone."

The company said it believes the BSI warning is "being made on political grounds" and is not based on the "technical assessment of Kaspersky products" it said it has been seeking.

It described itself as "a private global cyber-security company" and said it "doesn't have any ties to the Russian or any other government".

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has highlighted the increasingly influential role played by digital warfare. The invasion was accompanied by a host of cyber attacks conducted by hackers with a wide range of allegiances.

Germany's BSI said a Russian software company could conduct operations itself, be used as a tool for an attack or be spied on without its knowledge.

"The BSI recommends replacing applications from Kaspersky's portfolio of virus protection software with alternative products," it added.

The BSI announcement prompted soccer club Eintracht Frankfurt, which plays in Germany's top division, to end its sponsorship deal with Kaspersky.

"We have notified Kaspersky management that we are terminating the sponsorship agreement effective immediately," club spokesman Axel Hellmann said in a press release. "We very much regret the development."