Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity firm, ceased its U.S. operations but has automatically replaced its antivirus software on American computers with UltraAV. No warning was given that the switch would occur on the day, reports Bleeping Computer. This decision follows the U.S. government's ban on Kaspersky software updates and sales, which takes effect on September 29, 2024, over national security concerns.
Earlier this year Kaspersky was added to the U.S. Entity List due to national security concerns and had to halt business in the U.S. In July, Kaspersky began laying off U.S. employees and preparing to close operations. In September the company notified its customers that they would be transitioned to UltraAV, an antivirus from Pango Group. However, the abrupt transition occurred without warning via an automatic update a few days ago.
"Following the recent decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce that prohibits Kaspersky from selling or updating certain antivirus products in the United States, Kaspersky partnered with antivirus provider UltraAV to ensure continued protection for US-based customers that will no longer have access to Kaspersky’s protections," a statement by Kaspersky reads. "Kaspersky and UltraAV worked closely to ensure customers would maintain the standards of security and privacy users have come to expect from their service."
Many users were surprised to find that Kaspersky software was abruptly removed from their devices and UltraAV installed instead. This occurred through an automatic update on September 19, 2024, and was intended to avoid any disruption in protection. Customers reported confusion and concerns, some even feared that malware had infiltrated their systems due to the unannounced switch. Those previously subscribed to Kaspersky's VPN services also found that UltraVPN was installed, unexpectedly.
Additionally, some users had difficulty uninstalling UltraAV, which reappeared after rebooting their devices.
Kaspersky defended its decision, explaining that the transition was made to ensure continued protection for U.S. customers after the company's departure from the market. The company assured users that UltraAV offers a similar set of features to Kaspersky's previous software. Meanwhile, UltraAV claims that its services are even better than Kaspersky's as it offers $1 million identity theft compensation.
"If you are a paying Kaspersky customer, when the transition is complete UltraAV protection will be active on your device and you will be able to leverage all of the additional premium features," a statement by UltraAV reads. "Your billing schedule with UltraAV will be the same as your Kaspersky account. Annual and monthly billing will remain the same."
