Kaspersky’s Unceremonious Exit

In an unexpected turn of events, Kaspersky has taken drastic steps to exit the U.S. market, auto-deleting its antivirus software from customers’ devices and replacing it with UltraAV without any prior notice. This comes as a shocking development for many who once trusted Kaspersky to safeguard their digital lives.

Kaspersky’s fall from grace in the U.S. began long before this recent debacle. Once hailed as one of the top cybersecurity firms globally, the Russian company has faced intense scrutiny and allegations of being a potential national security risk due to its ties to the Russian government. The situation escalated in June 2024 when the U.S. government added Kaspersky to the Entity List, branding it a national security concern and banning sales and software updates for its products starting September 29, 2024.

The company responded to these sanctions by shutting down its U.S. operations and laying off its American workforce. On July 20, 2024, Kaspersky announced it would begin winding down its business in the United States, while assuring customers they would still receive "reliable cybersecurity protection" through UltraAV, owned by Pango Group. However, what customers did not expect was for their Kaspersky software to vanish overnight and be replaced without warning.

Starting September 19, 2024, Kaspersky users awoke to find UltraAV installed on their computers. Many took to online forums, including BleepingComputer’s own, expressing confusion and concern that their devices had been compromised. “I woke up and saw this new antivirus system on my desktop and tried opening Kaspersky, but it was gone. I thought my desktop had been infected and uninstalled Kaspersky,” one user shared. This abrupt replacement caused panic among customers, some of whom likened it to a malware attack.

Although some users managed to uninstall UltraAV using its uninstaller, others found that the software reinstalled itself upon reboot, further fueling fears. For customers who also had a Kaspersky VPN subscription, UltraVPN—another Pango Group product—was similarly installed without consent, raising additional concerns about privacy and trust.

Not much is known about UltraAV beyond its connection to Pango Group, which operates several VPN brands like Hotspot Shield and Betternet, as well as Comparitech, a VPN review site. This forced transition left users feeling blindsided, with many questioning the ethics behind Kaspersky’s decision to unilaterally switch their protection.

Kaspersky attempted to justify its actions by stating it had “partnered with UltraAV to ensure continued protection for U.S.-based customers” and that the update was meant to prevent a lapse in security as the company exited the market. However, this explanation did little to appease those affected, who felt betrayed by the abrupt switch.

For a company that once enjoyed a sterling reputation as a trusted cybersecurity provider, this final act appears to be a somber coda to Kaspersky’s long, tumultuous relationship with the U.S. As of September 30, 2024, Kaspersky will no longer be able to support or update its products in the U.S., leaving many to wonder what the future holds for the once-respected cybersecurity giant.

In the end, Kaspersky’s unceremonious exit serves as a stark reminder of how quickly trust can be eroded and how a once-revered company can fall from grace almost overnight.