Americans Ignoring Kaspersky Prohibition – TechCrunch
Some customers in the United States are still utilizing Kaspersky anti-virus software, even after it was blacklisted by Washington. Read Full Article at RT.com
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Despite warnings from the US government about potential security risks, some American users are continuing to utilize anti-virus software developed by the Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Labs. A TechCrunch report published on Tuesday reveals that this persistence occurs even after the sale and provision of Kaspersky's products were banned in the US, a restriction implemented in June due to alleged security concerns, which led the company to scale back its operations within the country.
The report highlights that certain American users have discovered ways to bypass these restrictions. TechCrunch interviewed individuals on Reddit who claimed they still use the Russian-made software, expressing skepticism about the rationale behind the ban.
“It’s well-known to be the best [antivirus] in the world and has a long track record,” a Reddit user based in the US shared with TechCrunch via direct message. “There’s 0 actual evidence of it being ‘spyware’ and I can’t just blindly believe something that has no evidence supporting it,” they added.
Another Reddit user from New York mentioned that he continued using Kaspersky anti-virus without concern over allegations of data theft, stating, “it’s a nice product.”
These users explained that they had either purchased their licenses or keys before the ban, and many were using a VPN or had manually configured non-US servers to receive updates. One individual reported acquiring an international license key through eBay and then added an external update server in the Kaspersky app to keep getting security updates.
When asked about future plans after their license keys expire, users indicated they might transition to a different antivirus provider, but some would consider continuing with Kaspersky if their VPN method remains effective.
In 2017, the US Department of Homeland Security prohibited all federal agencies from using Kaspersky software due to national security concerns, although no concrete evidence was presented. Eugene Kaspersky, the company's founder and CEO, criticized the decision as “baseless paranoia at best,” and while the company filed a lawsuit in response, it was ultimately dismissed in court.
During the announcement of the “first of its kind” ban against Kaspersky in June, Washington asserted that the firm poses a threat to US national security and user privacy as a Russian-based entity.
In late September, Kaspersky had to uninstall its software from American users' computers and replace it with a new antivirus program named UltraAV. Many customers expressed surprise and discontent that they had not been consulted about this change, according to TechCrunch.
Founded in 1997, Kaspersky, headquartered in Moscow, claims to operate in over 200 countries and territories, serving approximately 400 million users globally.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
The report highlights that certain American users have discovered ways to bypass these restrictions. TechCrunch interviewed individuals on Reddit who claimed they still use the Russian-made software, expressing skepticism about the rationale behind the ban.
“It’s well-known to be the best [antivirus] in the world and has a long track record,” a Reddit user based in the US shared with TechCrunch via direct message. “There’s 0 actual evidence of it being ‘spyware’ and I can’t just blindly believe something that has no evidence supporting it,” they added.
Another Reddit user from New York mentioned that he continued using Kaspersky anti-virus without concern over allegations of data theft, stating, “it’s a nice product.”
These users explained that they had either purchased their licenses or keys before the ban, and many were using a VPN or had manually configured non-US servers to receive updates. One individual reported acquiring an international license key through eBay and then added an external update server in the Kaspersky app to keep getting security updates.
When asked about future plans after their license keys expire, users indicated they might transition to a different antivirus provider, but some would consider continuing with Kaspersky if their VPN method remains effective.
In 2017, the US Department of Homeland Security prohibited all federal agencies from using Kaspersky software due to national security concerns, although no concrete evidence was presented. Eugene Kaspersky, the company's founder and CEO, criticized the decision as “baseless paranoia at best,” and while the company filed a lawsuit in response, it was ultimately dismissed in court.
During the announcement of the “first of its kind” ban against Kaspersky in June, Washington asserted that the firm poses a threat to US national security and user privacy as a Russian-based entity.
In late September, Kaspersky had to uninstall its software from American users' computers and replace it with a new antivirus program named UltraAV. Many customers expressed surprise and discontent that they had not been consulted about this change, according to TechCrunch.
Founded in 1997, Kaspersky, headquartered in Moscow, claims to operate in over 200 countries and territories, serving approximately 400 million users globally.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
