In response to the U.S. government’s ban on Kaspersky products, the Russian cybersecurity firm has automatically replaced its antivirus software on American computers with UltraAV, without prior warning. The sudden switch occurred through an automatic update on September 19, 2024, following Kaspersky’s inclusion on the U.S. Entity List due to national security concerns.
Kaspersky had earlier informed customers of its plans to transition them to UltraAV, an antivirus from Pango Group, but the abrupt change left many users confused. Some even feared their systems had been compromised due to the unannounced update. Additionally, users of Kaspersky’s VPN services found UltraVPN installed unexpectedly.
Although some customers faced difficulties uninstalling UltraAV, Kaspersky defended the decision as necessary to ensure ongoing protection after its exit from the U.S. market. UltraAV, meanwhile, emphasized its commitment to security, offering features similar to Kaspersky’s, along with $1 million identity theft protection. Billing schedules will remain the same for former Kaspersky users.