US Bans Kaspersky Software for Users and Companies; Customers Advised to Seek Trusted Alternatives

The US administration has banned Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity company catering to individuals and companies, from operating within the United States starting Sept. 29, 2024.

The ban means Kaspersky will no longer be able to sell its products in the U.S. or update installed software of existing U.S. customers, leaving computers and devices much more vulnerable to security incidents. Moreover, the Russian company is banned from selling its white-labeled products as well.

Kaspersky users in the States face an important choice by September 29 and must choose a new security solution replacement. Bitdefender is helping with the challenges this needed transition may cause by offering  U.S. customers the choice between three top alternative solutions, each tailored to different needs, at a 50% discount with the first six months free.

Kaspersky banned by the U.S. Government. Why?

Kaspersky, a multi-national headquartered in Moscow, has been around for more than two decades, but after  Russia invaded Ukraine, the company's presence in NATO countries and others supporting Ukraine has increasingly posed a problem.

The reason for banning Kaspersky security software, according to U.S. officials, is that the company can't be trusted to resist pressure from the Russian government should it choose to weaponize the personal information gathered by the firm worldwide.

"Russia has shown it has the capacity and ... the intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans and that is why we are compelled to take the action that we are taking today," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, according to Reuters.

This move is not surprising because use of Kaspersky on devices within the U.S. federal government has been banned since 2017. The U.S. cited the company's ties with Russian intelligence for the ban back then, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine only strengthened the U.S. resolve when it came to banning the company.

In fact, Kaspersky was accused in 2017 of having stolen U.S. data for years. In one situation, the Russian company allegedly stole information from the PC of an NSA contractor that had its security solution installed.

Senator Mark Warner, chair of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, agreed with the nationwide ban.

"We would never give an adversarial nation the keys to our networks or devices, so it's crazy to think that we would continue to allow Russian software with the deepest possible device access to be sold to Americans," the senator said.

According to Reuters, the ban will include two Russian and one U.K. holding companies for allegedly cooperating with Russian military intelligence.

Consumers and businesses in the U.S. have been advised to immediately look for Kaspersky alternatives to ensure their systems and data are protected after the September 29 deadline.

Kaspersky faces bans worldwide

The U.S. is not the only country to take such a drastic measure. In 2022, the German Federal Office for Information Security urged citizens to stop using the software and replace it with something else. The same year, Italy banned the use of Kaspersky software in the public sector.

The same goes for Lithuania, which has banned Kaspersky software since 2017, and the Netherlands, which is already phasing out the software. Romania prohibited the use of the Russian software in the public sector in 2022.

Why choose Bitdefender as your security provider?

Trust. The most important Bitdefender tenet is 'Trust'; the entire business is built on this simple principle. Customers have many reasons to trust Bitdefender, especially in this current international climate. Choose a company with over two decades of experience in cybersecurity and headquartered in a NATO country.

Moreover, Bitdefender products have been at the forefront of technology and innovation, always bringing new features and always staying a step ahead of attackers. Our security solutions have consistently achieved top marks and often collect "Product of the Year" awards.

Year after year, independent testers consistently rank Bitdefender solutions high. In 2022, AV-Comp awarded Bitdefender the coveted Product of the Year award for the fifth time – more than any other vendor in the past decade. Additionally, technology authority PCMag ranked us number one on its highly coveted “Best Brands for 2024” list of technology manufacturers.

Protect your data. Our security solution works against all e-threats, from viruses, worms and Trojans, to ransomware, zero-day exploits, rootkits and spyware.

Threat defense. Bitdefender products use a technique called behavioral detection to closely monitor active apps. The moment it detects anything suspicious, it takes instant action to prevent infections.

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Keep the family safe. You can protect and manage multiple devices using the same subscription.

These are just a tiny fraction of the features Bitdefender products offer, which differ depending on the chosen tier. On the other hand, no matter what tier you choose, you will be protected online and have peace of mind about the security of your data.

How to stay safe online after uninstalling Kaspersky from your devices

The short and simple solution is fully trusting the security solution chosen to replace Kaspersky. When you look for an alternative, you need to consider what the new security solution brings in terms of features and its standing in the market so that you're never put in the situation of having to drop it again.

The new measures announced by the U.S. administration force Kaspersky to stop updating the existing products. The app won't stop working after September 29, but any device protected by these security solutions will become vulnerable in the absence of continuous updates.

How to uninstall Kaspersky software from your device

While it might seem like a difficult task, switching from one security provider to another is a simple and straightforward process. It's no different from the installation of regular applications.

Choose Bitdefender for trusted protection.