Beginning Thursday, Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky deleted its anti-malware software program from prospects’ computer systems throughout the USA and mechanically changed it with UltraAV’s antivirus resolution.
This comes after Kaspersky determined to close down its U.S. operations and lay off U.S.-based workers in response to the U.S. authorities including Kaspersky to the Entity Listing, a catalog of “foreign individuals, companies, and organizations deemed a national security concern” in June.
On June 20, the Biden administration additionally introduced a ban on gross sales and software program updates for Kaspersky antivirus software program in the USA beginning September 29, 2024, over potential nationwide safety dangers.
In July, Kaspersky advised BleepingComputer that it might start closing its enterprise and lay off the employees on July 20 due to the gross sales and distribution ban.
In early September, Kaspersky additionally emailed prospects, assuring them they might proceed receiving “reliable cybersecurity protection” from UltraAV (owned by Pango Group) after Kaspersky stopped promoting software program and updates for U.S. prospects.
Nonetheless, these emails failed to tell customers that Kaspersky’s merchandise could be abruptly deleted from their computer systems and changed with UltraAV with out warning.
UltraAV force-installed on Kaspersky customers’ PCs
In line with many on-line buyer stories, together with BleepingComputer’s boards, UltraAV’s software program was put in on their computer systems with none prior notification, with many involved that their units had been contaminated with malware.
“I woke up and saw this new antivirus system on my desktop and I tried opening kaspersky but it was gone. So I had to look up what happened because I was literally having a mini heart attack that my desktop somehow had a virus which uninstalled kaspersky somehow,” one consumer stated.
To make issues worse, whereas some customers may uninstall UltraAV utilizing the software program’s uninstaller, those that tried eradicating it utilizing uninstall apps noticed it reinstalled after a reboot, inflicting additional considerations a few potential malware an infection.
Some additionally discovered UltraVPN put in, seemingly as a result of that they had a Kaspersky VPN subscription.
Not a lot is thought about UltraAV apart from being a part of Pango Group, which controls a number of VPN manufacturers (e.g., Hotspot Defend, UltraVPN, and Betternet) and Comparitech (a VPN software program evaluate web site).
“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,” UltraAV says on its official web site on a web page devoted to this pressured transition from Kaspersky’s software program.
“On September 30th, 2024 Kaspersky will no longer be able to support or provide product updates to your service. This puts you at substantial risk for cybercrime.”
“Software update” behind pressured change to UltraAV
A Kaspersky worker additionally shared an official assertion on the corporate’s official boards relating to the pressured change to UltraAV, saying that it “partnered with antivirus provider UltraAV to ensure continued protection for US-based customers that will no longer have access to Kaspersky’s protections.”
“Kaspersky has additionally partnered with UltraAV to make the transition to their product as seamless as possible, which is why on 9/19, U.S. Kaspersky antivirus customers received a software update facilitating the transition to UltraAV,” it added.
“This update ensured that users would not experience a gap in protection upon Kaspersky’s exit from the market.”
The corporate states that UltraAV has a related function set to its merchandise and requested prospects to evaluate a FAQ web page on UltraAV’s web site or contact its help crew for extra info.
A Kaspersky spokesperson was not instantly accessible for remark when contacted by BleepingComputer earlier in the present day.
