#US bans Kaspersky antivirus software

[mudwerks]

(via The US will ban sales of Kaspersky antivirus software next month)

The Biden administration has taken a sweeping action to ban Kaspersky Labs from selling its antivirus products to US customers. The Russian software company will not be able to sell to new customers starting in July and cannot provide service to current customers after September.

Ahead of the official news, a source told Reuters that the company's connections to the Russian government made it a security risk with the potential to install malware, collect privileged information, or withhold software updates on American computers. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the ban at a briefing today.

"You have done nothing wrong, and you are not subject to any criminal or civil penalties," she said to current Kaspersky customers. "However, I would encourage you, in as strong as possible terms, to immediately stop using that software and switch to an alternative in order to protect yourself and your data and your family."

[asmodeus-psd]

PSA! THERE IS MALWARE ON YAYTEXT!

I'm not fully sure just how relevant this will be, but if anyone else uses yaytext to fancify their text with unicode, please be aware that there is now malware on the yaytext website ( yaytext.com ). it has been on there for at least a week now, so if you have gone onto the site, you might have been infected!

WHAT NOW? IF YOU HAVE VISITED YAYTEXT:

first, run a malware scan on your computer. you can do this for FREE with malwarebytes, bitdefender, or kaspersky*. you can find the free versions of these antivirus softwares on their respective websites, and I will link them below for convenience.

after you run the malware scan (hopefully you are not infected!), add the respective browser guard to your browser. as you can see by my screenshot, I use Malwarebytes' broswer guard. if you decide to use their browser guard too, you will still be able to safely use yaytext.

WHERE ELSE DO I GO?

you should assume that yaytext IS NOT safe to use for the time being! there are plenty of other unicode generators out there, however, so you don't have any disruption with your aesthetics.

some alternatives are:

fontspace font generator

lingojam text generator

fontalic

I have just checked all of these sites and none of them have malware on them at this time.

ANTIMALWARE SCANNING

MalwareBytes - free version BitDefender - free version Kaspersky* - free version

*note that Kaspersky is being banned in the U.S. for being a Russian company. The ban is over worries that Russia could use the AV as spyware in the U.S., because the Kremlin can force any company in Russia to share all of their data with them. Despite this, Kaspersky is a top contending cybersecurity research company. If you are not comfortable using Kaspersky, studies have shown that BitDefender provides near equivalent results. source: i am getting my degree in cybersecurity lol

[zerosecurity]

U.S. Government to Ban Kaspersky Antivirus Software Amid Cybersecurity Concerns

To bolster national cybersecurity, the Biden administration announced plans on Thursday to prohibit the sale of antivirus software produced by Russia's Kaspersky Lab in the United States. The decision comes as concerns mount over potential Russian exploitation of the software to gather sensitive information from American computers.

Commerce Secretary Highlights Cybersecurity Risks

During a briefing call with reporters, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo emphasized the risks associated with Kaspersky's software. "Russia has demonstrated both the capability and intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize Americans' personal information," Raimondo stated, underscoring the urgency of the action. The software's privileged access to computer systems could potentially enable the theft of sensitive data or the installation of malware, posing a significant threat to national security. This risk is particularly acute given Kaspersky's large U.S. customer base, which includes critical infrastructure providers and state and local governments.

New Regulations and Trade Restrictions

The comprehensive new rule, leveraging broad powers established during the Trump administration, will be implemented alongside the addition of three Kaspersky units to a trade restriction list. This dual approach aims to not only limit the software's presence in the U.S. market but also to impact the company's global reputation and overseas sales. Key points of the new regulations include: - A ban on inbound sales of Kaspersky software, including updates and licensing, effective September 29, 2024. - Prohibition of new U.S. business for Kaspersky 30 days after the announcement - Restrictions on white-labeled products incorporating Kaspersky technology. - Addition of two Russian and one UK-based Kaspersky units to the entity list, limiting their access to U.S. suppliers.

Implications for U.S. Cybersecurity Strategy

The ban on Kaspersky software reflects the Biden administration's broader strategy to mitigate the risks of Russian cyberattacks and maintain pressure on Moscow amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. It also demonstrates the government's willingness to utilize new authorities to restrict transactions between U.S. firms and technology companies from "foreign adversary" nations like Russia and China. Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed support for the decision, stating, "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."

Kaspersky's History of Regulatory Scrutiny

This is not the first time Kaspersky has faced regulatory challenges in the United States. In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security banned Kaspersky's flagship antivirus product from federal networks, citing potential ties to Russian intelligence and concerns over Russian laws that could compel the company to assist intelligence agencies. Media reports at the time alleged Kaspersky's involvement in the transfer of hacking tools from a National Security Agency employee to the Russian government, though Kaspersky denied any intentional involvement.

Enforcement and Implications for Users

Under the new rules, sellers and resellers violating the restrictions will face fines from the Commerce Department, with the possibility of criminal charges for willful violations. While software users will not face legal penalties, they will be strongly encouraged to discontinue use of Kaspersky products.

Kaspersky's Global Presence and Response

Kaspersky, which operates through a British holding company and maintains operations in Massachusetts, reported revenue of $752 million in 2022 from over 220,000 corporate clients across approximately 200 countries. The company's client base includes prominent organizations such as Italian vehicle maker Piaggio, Volkswagen's retail division in Spain, and the Qatar Olympic Committee. As of the announcement, Kaspersky Lab and the Russian Embassy had not responded to requests for comment. The company has previously maintained that it is a privately managed entity without ties to the Russian government. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, the U.S. government's decision to ban Kaspersky software underscores the growing importance of securing digital infrastructure against potential foreign threats. The move is likely to have far-reaching implications for both the cybersecurity industry and international relations in the digital age. Read the full article

[companyknowledgenews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210078&_unique_id=66f2475ecb95c #GLOBAL - BLOGGER BLOGGER Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record. The reason for the unheralded change is the US … Read More

[bravecompanynews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web - #GLOBAL https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210077&_unique_id=66f2475dd2a7e Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[boldcompanynews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210076&_unique_id=66f2475cc5ffe Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg #GLOBAL - BLOGGER Some US-based users of Kaspersky an... BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[technologycompanynews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210075&_unique_id=66f2475b32889 Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record. The reason for the unheralded change is the US … Read More

[onlinecompanynews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210074&_unique_id=66f2462f7946b Some US-based users of Kaspersky an... BLOGGER - #GLOBAL Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg #GLOBAL - BLOGGER Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record. The reason for the unheralded change is the US … Read More

[internetcompanynews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210073&_unique_id=66f2462e8d71b Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web - #GLOBAL BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[formidablecompanynews]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210072&_unique_id=66f2462d9c2b1 #GLOBAL - BLOGGER BLOGGER Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record. The reason for the unheralded change is the US … Read More

[smartcompanynewsweb]

Some US Kaspersky customers find their security software replaced by 'UltraAV' - Information Global Web - #GLOBAL https://www.merchant-business.com/some-us-kaspersky-customers-find-their-security-software-replaced-by-ultraav/?feed_id=210071&_unique_id=66f2462cad972 Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity named “UltraAV” – a change they didn’t ask for, and which has delivered them untested and largely unknown software from a source with a limited track record.The reason for the unheralded change is the US government ban on Kaspersky selling its products stateside, updating them or even adding fresh malware signatures. The ban was implemented over fears Russia could use Kaspersky’s products to spy on US citizens. Authorities have not offered details to back that assertion, and Kaspersky offered to hand over its source code for checking by US officials. That offer was ignored.Kaspersky complied with the ban, and announced it would automatically transition US-based users of its consumer-grade products to UltraAV, which is provided by a domestic vendor.That plan is now in force, and Kaspersky software is currently being automatically replaced by UltraAV on Windows systems – presumably using the permissions already granted to the old application. Apple and Android users will have to download and install it manually, UltraAV told us.Ultra who?Many consumers won’t pause to think about this change, but perhaps they should.UltraAV’s wares will soon be trusted to do an important job on myriad PCs – yet the brand has an unusually low profile.“We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual,” a source at one infosec biz told us on condition of anonymity. “I can talk to competitors around the world because we all know, or know of, each other – so this under-the-radar stuff got people talking.”UltraAV is part of Boston-based Pango, which runs a portfolio of security related products. Pango and Kaspersky already had a relationship, with the Russian biz licensing one of the former’s products. Pango itself was bought by another Massachusetts entity, named Aura, earlier this month.The Register has learned that the antivirus engine in UltraAV is derived from Indian vendor Max Secure Software, which Aura acquired “about two years ago.”UltraAV told us its chief scientist for the product is Dr Zulfikar Ramzan – he’s listed as an employee of Aura rather than UltraAV. He holds a PhD in computer science from MIT and spent over six years at RSA, rising to the role of chief technology officer, and before that was CTO at cloud security startup Elastica.Low profile protectionMost major anti-malware vendors allow independent testers to assess their products to demonstrate their abilities and features – something neither UltraAV nor Max Secure has done. We contacted all the major antivirus testing laboratories and almost none of them had even seen UltraAV’s code.“We did not run a full test – we only had a quick look,” one tester told The Register. “But let’s put it this way: There is room for improvement in the protection and usability.”UltraAV doesn’t appear to have been put through its paces by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), the international non-profit that is supposed to keep the industry honest. UltraAV tells us a third-party test “is planned for the end of this year.”There’s no formal requirement for security software vendors to have their products assessed – but in a product category that’s all about trust, doing so is table stakes for many vendors. For UltraAV, an independent test could be more valuable – a little light Googling yields results including complaints about its products in the years before its acquisition by Aura.You have one week leftOn September 30 Kaspersky will cease its US operations, leaving its consumer customers a choice: stick with UltraAV, or go to another security supplier.

“Users will maintain the price for UltraAV that they were being billed for Kaspersky,” an Aura spokesperson told us.“If any customers were to cancel their plan and then repurchase UltraAV, it would cost them $47.88 per year, billed annually for the first year and then would renew at the full price of UltraAV, $149.99. This plan would not include the added identity protection features being offered under the Kaspersky transition.”Kaspersky sent out its last set of bills in June, and payments to UltraAV will begin in October. Users of the free version of Kaspersky’s code will still be supported.Consumers are infamously indifferent to many aspects of their PCs’ operations, so many won’t care about the appearance of UltraAV on their systems. UltraAV therefore appears to have acquired itself some market share without much effort – and hopefully without creating future hassles for its new customers. ®“Back story to replacement for banned security app isn’t enormously reassuring Some US-based users of Kaspersky antivirus products have found their software replaced by product from by a low-profile entity…”Source Link: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ultraav_kaspersky_antivirus/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g629ff21ae42d789f81714eb78211394aa368bdf157f7b3a63002e84e0aed84bb6f8444f5de6c2d9a7283251335fca59aa0c.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[isfeed]

Some Kaspersky customers receive surprise forced-update to new antivirus software

After U.S. ban, Kaspersky’s American customers were automatically migrated to UltraAV antivirus, in some cases without the customers’ knowledge. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. Source: TechCrunch Some Kaspersky customers receive surprise forced-update to new antivirus software

[trendingjournals]

Russia antivirus firm Kaspersky quits US after ban

Russian antivirus giant Kaspersky Labs has told BBC News that it is leaving the US after the Biden administration banned sales and distribution of the firm's software.

Kaspersky said it had made the "sad and difficult decision" to leave "as business opportunities in the country are no longer viable".

It comes after Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said last month that Moscow's influence over the company posed a significant risk to US infrastructure and services.

Kaspersky, which had been operating in the US for two decades, has denied the allegations.

"Starting from July 20, 2024 Kaspersky will gradually wind down its US operations and eliminate US-based positions," the firm said in a statement.

Its US website has already stopped selling its antivirus and cybersecurity tools, with a message reading "purchase is unavailable for US customers".

The announcement came after sales and distribution of Kaspersky products were banned in the US.

Ms Raimondo said the US was compelled to take action due to Russia's "capacity and… intent to collect and weaponise the personal information of Americans".

"Kaspersky will generally no longer be able to, among other activities, sell its software within the United States or provide updates to software already in use," the Commerce Department said.

The ruling used broad powers created by the Trump administration to ban or restrict transactions between US firms and technology companies from "foreign adversary" nations like Russia and China.

It effectively barred downloads of software updates, resales and licensing of the products from 29 September, while new business was to be restricted within 30 days of the announcement.

Sellers and resellers who violate the restrictions will face fines from the Commerce Department.

According to the Commerce Department, the Moscow-headquartered multinational company has offices in 31 countries around the world, servicing more than 400 million users and 270,000 corporate clients in more than 200 countries.

At the time Kaspersky said it intended to pursue "all legally available options" to fight the ban, and denied it engaged in any activity that threatened US security.

[ericvanderburg]

US government bans Kaspersky antivirus software – what you need to know

http://i.securitythinkingcap.com/T8cmjY